This week’s episode of ‘Nashwa,’ hosted by media personality Nashwa Al Ruwaini explores the difficulties families often face with their hired live-in maids. Millions of households in the Middle East have under their employment at least one maid who takes care of young children and elderly citizens in the home while the adults go to work. We often hear in the media horrific stories of the maltreatment of maids in the region, but what happens when it is the other way around and it is the employer who has the problem, frequently, maids take advantage of their employers and avoid their responsibilities but more frighteningly stories of abuse and theft often arise.
‘Nashwa’ is aired on Dubai TV every Monday at 22:30 and repeated every Saturday at 18:00.
Working parents Nivine Hamaida and Ahmed Mousa speak of how their maid abused their autistic son and insisted on hitting him with force and pulling his sister’s hair. Family Specialist Dr. Mamdouh Al Dosari relays how the maid sexually harassed his son and speaks of how many women come into Arab countries as maids and then escape the homes of their employers in search of relaxation and entertainment.
A young girl, Heba Mostafa, tells of how the maid tried to get between her parents, flirting with her father and then her grandfather and quietly stealing their jewelry. Feryal Mohammed talks of her trials with a maid hired to take care of her disabled mother. The maid drugged her mother daily and then invited men into their home, getting pregnant once and selling her child while in the hospital.
Nashwa Al Rwuaini concludes the show by welcoming Asma Abdelhameed, the first Arab woman wearing a hijab to enter the Danish Parliament and clearly state her position about the offensive Muslim cartoons and correct the image of Muslims in the West.
About Nashwa:
‘Nashwa’ is a weekly, self-titled televised talk show broadcast on Dubai TV and presented and produced by Nashwa Al Ruwaini herself. The aim of the show is to journey through different social issues surrounding the Arab world and its people, discussing the current problems and issues faced by people all over the region.
The show tackles some of the most taboo and hidden aspects of today’s society and Nashwa has become a mother and sister for women, men and children all over the Arab world by pushing boundaries back and giving the people their platform to speak.
Each week, Nashwa invites a host of guests to talk about their experiences in all manner of subjects in order to break down barriers and encourage communication in order to find solutions.
The show is a result of cooperation between Dubai TV and Pyramedia, Nashwa’s own production company, which has grown to become one of the largest production companies in the region. The ‘Nashwa’ show has been running weekly on Dubai TV since May 2006.
Nashwa has been voted best female presenter for five consecutive years from 1998-2002 by various Arab newspapers and magazines and most recently has won the prestigious Feigenbaum Leadership Award and was awarded the Gold prize at the Tenth Gulf Radio and Television Production Festival held in Bahrain for her show ‘Nashwa’. She was also nominated for ‘Best Entertainer’ at the 2008 Rose D’Or Awards in Switzerland.
