An investigation by The Guardian has uncovered the plight of Kenyan women in Saudi Arabia who are unable to leave the country because their children, born outside marriage, lack legal documentation. Without birth certificates or official recognition, these children are classified as “stateless,” denying them access to basic rights such as schooling and the exit visas necessary to leave Saudi Arabia.
Five women interviewed described fleeing abusive employers who confiscated their identity documents. Many of these children were born from relationships with fellow migrant workers, but under Saudi law, sex outside marriage is criminalised, often leading to severe consequences for women, including imprisonment.
In April, a group of these mothers staged a rare public protest in Riyadh’s Manfuhah district, blocking traffic and demanding the right to return home. Protesting in Saudi Arabia is illegal and carries the risk of imprisonment, making the demonstration an extraordinarily bold act.
Another woman explained the stigma and dismissal they face, saying, “The people at the Kenyan embassy say we are prostitutes. They forget that some of these babies are from cases of rape by their boss or the driver of the house you’re working in. It’s very painful.”
It is estimated that thousands of stateless children, born outside marriage, live in Gulf countries, facing a lifetime of exclusion and hardship.
