High rents force low-paid women to live rough
From today's Gulf Times
FEMALE workers on low-to-middle incomes claim it is virtually impossible to find decent accommodation thanks to sky-high rents that place many apartments out of their reach.
Although some companies, particularly those linked to the public sector, provide high-quality housing for single female expatriate staff, other women are not so lucky.
A number of female workers told Gulf Times that they were left to find their own accommodation with an allowance of roughly QR2,500 a month. As a result they ended up living in poorly-equipped villa extensions or shared bedrooms.
Samar, aged 27 from Syria, works for a PR company in Doha. She said that many skilled female workers were facing difficulties because of insufficient wages to cover high rental costs.
She also pointed out the irony of the situation, saying: “With a QR6,000 or QR7,000 monthly salary, you can see, for instance, an assistant to the general manager of some very respectful company going back, well-dressed, from a luxurious office or a meeting with high level personalities, to a stressed life in a shared room with a hateful, annoying roommate from a different country and therefore, possessing different habits and way of life.”
Ruba, a 28-year-old Lebanese journalist, agreed and suggested the government should compel companies importing single female labourers into Qatar to provide suitable housing for their employees.
She said a ‘housing zone’ for women with affordable rents could be another way to solve the problem.
“I used to believe in equality between women and men, but not anymore,” she said. “I think single women working in an expatriate society need to receive special treatment, particularly in the matter of housing.”
Ruba said she came to this opinion after a miserable search for suitable accommodation. She claimed that after moving into a villa extension she was subjected to indirect sexual harassment when the owner’s wife and children were on vacation.
“I broke down and I had to leave immediately,” she said. “Ever since then I have stayed at friends’ places as it is hard to find a proper place I can afford. I even stayed for a while at the place of a friend of a friend of mine. It was so embarrassing.”
As a result of her nomadic lifestyle, Ruba said she often felt compelled to act as a “cleaner” wherever she stayed in order to show her gratitude. She also lived out of her car.
She said: “I have my things scattered throughout the houses I have stayed at and my car looks almost like a traveling caravan. Instead of looking into the closet for clothes to wear, I go to the trunk of my car.”
Another female worker, 26-year-old Lebanese make up artist Leila, faced similar problems – as well as a police investigation when she moved into an apartment with another female expatriate.
She explained: “I did not choose the apartment or my housemate, but she was kind enough to let me stay for a while without paying rent as I was broke. I found out later that a lot of male friends visited the apartment and the next thing I knew a person came to the door to interrogate us. Later we learned that we had been under surveillance.”
Another woman, Suha, a 24-year-old Syrian working in a boutique, said she had also encountered problems with landlords – including one family which used to come into her quarters and take her belongings.
She said: “I would go back to find the gas cylinder was missing. Then the next day I would come home to find it returned to its place, but empty.”
or a pathfinder(spellcheck)?
She could really try bedspacing for QAR 700 per month sharing a room (bathroom and kitchen) with other 3 ladies...
There are some apartments which dont require a full year payment. Well, i know a lot of people earning that amount of money or even less that still try to make it work. I guess it just boils down to living standards. :) i sure do hope rents will come down soon enough..
Cars are cheaper, janey!
Azi.. She has a car bt she doesnt have a place to stay in? Err something is wrong with that? Csi.
while a lot would turn snotty about filipinas who's not that lucky...they can't give up or else some mouths will starve...
ahem...MD
true...:)
... another "forced" marriage ...
The solution:
- get married:
* 2500QR (SHE)+ 2500QR(HE)= 5000QR = a nice studio-flat!...:)
I am really awe struck at the single Filipino girls who come here to work almost literally "among the wolves" and survive....I salute!
I would not have survived here 1month if I was a single girl.
Geez...and she only have HERSELF TO SUPPORT!!!!
I earn lower than that AMOUNT...pay rent for a room, pay my bills/debts and my bank PLUS send money to my family.
GT should have interviewed those who rent BEDSPACES...
The rents have spiralled out of control in the last few years. There are many reasons for that! but solutions to these problems that you are suggesting take time!
These women need to use some sense and act now!
ClearBlue, no, I meant before the problem got out of hand, not before the problem began! lol
:)
Ther are many empty apartments in Qatar, it's just the landlords or agents want ridiculous rents for them!
You are on a roll my friend. My solution would be to get rid of all these pathetic dependant women and get real women like Labda06 who can negotiate for themelves.
Not only that but Labda can arm wrestle real well too. That's what Qatar needs, lots of Labda06's. You don't hear her bellyaching about everything all the time now do you?
Just call me Tigasin. That's what I'm talking about
:)
Shame they couldn't use a little women's initiative to work it out beforehand!
You had four mothers ??
Isn't that what the article is trying to do QT?
...as there are considerably more male expats.
However, that does not say there aren't any options.
Fewer women just means fewer houses accomodating women!
Can't they advertise and band together?
...and they share houses with other men!
I don't understand how the men cope yet the women can't!
Equality indeed!
Although, as Brit said, the female housing is a good idea.
Well for one thing QT, take a look at accommodations here and see the difference in how many bachelors are looking for shared and how many women. There's simply less options for women.
Labda the problem is these women COME from a culture of dependency, which is why they find themselves in such horrible situations when they get here.
A very sad state of affairs. Lower rents would be the answer, but I doubt whether it would happen.
Perhaps the answer is a "low income" housing facility , catering just for females. this would stop the sexual harrassment also.
Special treatment for women? Why begin a culture of dependency? They should have sorted themselves out when negotiating their salaries BEFORE coming here.
Dont get me wrong, I owe a lot to my fore"mothers" and the struggle they endured to allow me to enjoy the rights and freedoms I now do. But ignorance is no defence.
-------------------sshwalleleh sshwalleloh-------------
Lower rents. :P Actually what I find here is that women are paid less, because it's assumed that they will be living with parents or spouses. So pay and benefits need to be equal. Simple as that.
:/