Mohammad Atef (46 years old) has been lying in his house in Mahwah (the name of the Muhamasheen’s place of residence), in the Sa'awan area (the residential city) in Sana’a, for more than three years, due to a skin disease infection as a result of his work in cleaning. Medical reports indicate that he developed an "acute rash" because of his work in collecting exposed and polluted waste from the streets without any means of personal safety and protection.
At first, Atef's feet swelled, then his hands, and he thought that these were normal symptoms resulting of the stress and exhaustion while doing his work. However, after a while, these tumors spread to other areas of his body and then began to secrete pus, and sometimes blood. Atef said in his interview with "Khuyut", that he was unable to obtain medical care from the Cleanliness and Improvement Fund, nor did they even guarantee his treatment. As a result, he bore the burdens of excessive health care costs at his own expense, and he couldn’t afford to adhere to or continue with the treatment.
Atef explained that he has been working with the Cleaning and Improvement Fund of the Capital Sana'a, for more than 25 years, for a slight amount of money, and he earned nothing but diseases from his work. Atef indicated that working in the field of hygiene requires great care and safety tools in order to prevent the worker from contracting any diseases, and this is what he did not get except in very rare cases during his work throughout those years.
Al-Mahwah is considered the residential community of many Muhamasheen (people with dark skin). Thousands of this forgotten group, usually crowd inside it, most of whom work in cleaning, while a house is not devoid of the presence of one or more people who suffer from a certain disease as a result of their work in this field.
Skin, pulmonary and infectious diseases are common among cleaners in Sana'a and various Yemeni cities, most of whom are from the Muhamasheen category, as this job is considered one of the jobs and professions that society looks down at it.
Cleaning workers lack the simplest tools and means that protect them from diseases and other risks, or even work related instruments, after all the aid they were receiving before the war in Yemen in 2015 has been suspended.
According to official statistics, more than 20,000 workers of Muhamasheen work in cleaning services in all Yemeni governorates, of whom about 3,200 work in the capital Sana’a, and Sana’a governorate in general.
Noman Al-Hudhaifi, head of the National Union for the Development of the Poorest Groups in Yemen (the Muhamasheen), told "Khuyut" that the cleaners from the Muhamasheen do not enjoy any job rights, such as retirement in the event that one of them reaches old age or disability. If the injury leads to partial or total disability, they do not receive compensation or referral to retirement like other government employees of the state’s public offices.
Risky and Unprotected work
On Al-Nasr Street in the city of Sa'awan in the capital Sana’a, a cleaning truck passes with four cleaners on it, who collect waste and garbage from the streets and places where they are accumulated to the truck using plastic bags or a piece of cloth or with their bare hands most of the time. They lack any means of safety to protect them from pollution, diseases and epidemics they may exposed to because of their work.
Ali Mabrook, a cleaning worker, said sarcastically to Khuyut: "It is enough that the state provided us with a vehicle for cleaning, otherwise we would carry it on our backs," indicating that the concerned authorities in the Cleaning and Improvement Fund never care about their health, and do not even provide them with the basic requirements in order to practice work. He confirmed that in spite of the support that the Fund receives from international organizations, which includes the provision of various safety and hygiene tools, preventive tools and means, and other assistance, they never receive it or know anything about it.
On the opposite street, another cleaner, Salem Shuei, passes by with a broom made of wood in his hand. He sweeps the street and wraps a cloth shawl around his nose in order to protect himself from dust that may reach his chest and fall to the ground from coughing. Shuei said in his interview with "Khuyut" that he had pulmonary asthma some years ago, and that he suffers greatly in his work because of exposing to such risks. At the same time, he cannot give up his only work, adding that the Fund does not provide anything for those who suffer from any disease or other risks.
Since the breakout of the conflict in Yemen in March 2015, the risks associated with the cleaning work have increased due to the spread of diseases, epidemics, and remnants of war. For instance, cholera epidemic in past few years claimed the lives of hundreds of cleaners, in addition to the cessation of government assistance that needy or sick workers used to receive. Shuei says that in the past, those in need of health care used to apply for help from the Capital Municipality or the Presidency Office, after submitting all the health reports that prove the validity of the request, they used to obtain some financial support, but now workers do not get anything but may die alone
Lack of care
Cleaning workers lack the simplest tools and means that protect them from diseases and other risks, or even work related instruments, after all the aid they were receiving before the war in Yemen in 2015 has been suspended. In addition to that, the cleaners’ monthly salaries do not exceed 30,000 riyals ($50). It is considered the lowest wages compared to the rest of the government sectors employees, and this amount does not cover even the basic requirements of life.
Moreover, most of the workers with the Cleaning and Improvement Fund do not know anything about their rights guaranteed in the law and the constitution, due to the illiteracy of the vast majority from which this group suffers, or because of the systematic policy of stultification to which they are exposed, which makes them vulnerable to exploitation.
This category also suffers from severe abandonment in many aspects. The most important of which is the health care, as most workers do not receive medical care in any way, nor do they obtain health insurance. According to one of the workers, the Fund previously provided amounts not exceeding 50,000 riyals for people who perform serious surgeries after long procedures.
However, such support was halted due to the scarcity of resources, according to the claims of the concerned authorities. In addition, most government health sectors do not receive patients from this category for racist reasons related to skin color, and workers bear exorbitant expenses in spending on the health care provided in private hospitals.
Further, the head of the National Union for the Development of the Poorest Groups in Yemen (the Muhamasheen), Noman Al-Hudhaifi, confirmed in the same context that there is a discrimination of dealing with the cleaners and the rest of the employees of the state's administrative apparatus, as they are treated as forced laborers, and this type of employment is very similar to slave labor which is evidenced by the low level of their wages.
In addition to dealing with them from an economic angle that requires them to remain in the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment, which is part of a systematic policy adopted by the official authorities against this segment of society.
Lack of legal awareness
Most of the workers with the Cleaning and Improvement Fund do not know anything about their rights guaranteed in the law and the constitution, due to the illiteracy of the vast majority from which this group suffers, or because of the systematic policy of stultification to which they are exposed, which makes them vulnerable to exploitation.
The Yemeni constitution provides for non-discrimination between people on the basis of color, race or religion, and the texts of Legal Articles No. (113-118) of the Labor and Civil Service Law stipulates the need for a periodic examination of occupational safety and its means for cleaners.
Article (6) of the Yemeni constitution states: "The state affirms adherence to the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of the League of Arab States, and the recognized rules of international law."
For its part, the Office of the Cleaning and Improvement Fund in the Capital Sana'a refused to respond to "Khuyut" inquiries regarding its failure to provide any means of protection for the cleaning workers and to address the health problems of the cleaning staff, under the justification of not allowing anyone from the office to make a statement or speak to the media.
