Housekeeping Co Celebrates International Mother Language Day

The UAE is a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, traditions and individuals. In a country filled with different nationalities, celebrating International Mother Language Day is crucially important. 

Introduced in the 1990s, the day is marked each year on 21st February to celebrate mother languages and ensure their survival through the years. 

Every two weeks, a language in the world is spoken for the last time, losing culture, identity and history with it. In addition to this, over 40% of people in the world do not have education in a language they fully understand. 

Language, especially mother tongue, is a powerful tool, and in an organisation of over 8,000 workers like Housekeeping Domestics Workers Services, we understand it's true impact. Currently employing thousands of domestic workers from different corners of the world, we place huge importance on encouraging mother language as well as developing a second. 

In our organisation alone, over 30 different mother languages are present amongst staff and domestic workers, an incredible representation of dialects from across the globe. 

Although communicating with each other often in English and Arabic, the power of mother language is not lost, and is in fact utilised and celebrated every day. 

Ethically recruiting and placing thousands of domestic workers from different nationalities, mother language is often essential for clear and concise communication.  

Why is Mother Language Important for Domestic Workers?

For many domestic workers, a strong knowledge of Arabic or English may not be possible, but it is vital that their rights, duties and responsibilities are communicated properly. 

Although some may understand basic phrases in common languages, if you are employed as a full-time maid or live-in nanny, it is important to be able to speak fluently and communicate with loved ones or colleagues in some form. This could be online, speaking to family and friends, or with the company and their HR support. 

As well as English and Cultural Awareness training, Housekeeping Co domestic workers are also assigned a Welfare Officer who purposefully speaks their mother language. This allows for clear communication and can provide support and comfort for workers often out of their home country for the first time. 

With most of our staff living in the UAE, the use of mother language can be a welcome reminder of home, as well as its culture, identity and traditions. This connection is important, as it makes each of our team who they are. 

Celebrated around the world, International Mother Language Day is now used to protect the forms of communication and dialects still in practice today. 

Ensuring traditions and culture stay thriving, the benefits of practicing your mother language also include being multilingual, and even cognitive and educational development. 

In 2024, the theme of International Mother Language Day is education in mother tongue, which for many around the world is not possible. 

Focusing on our education of domestic workers, Housekeeping Co both encourage the learning and development of widely spoken languages, as well as a passion for celebrating each worker's true dialect, culture and identity. 

Housekeeping Domestics Workers Services LLC will continue to promote and celebrate International Mother Language Day with our workforce, as we all aim to assist in the goal of continued diversity and multilingualism.