Yesterday, more than 200 women from Ethiopia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and beyond met to establish a first in the country, a union for migrant domestic workers. For decades, domestic workers have struggled with the `kafala system’, a `sponsorship’ system that binds migrant workers to their employers. This system gives employers practically absolute free rein over their domestic workers, because, under the kafala system, a domestic worker cannot quit. That would mean losing her sponsorship. It’s a vicious and often deadly cycle.
Domestic workers have struggled to tell their own stories and to frame the larger narrative for themselves. Ethiopian born domestic worker and filmmaker Rahel Zegeye explained, “We often hear stories of abuse and bad treatment of Lebanese employers towards their foreign domestic workers (maids). Most media and organizations working to help migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Lebanon portray the worker as a helpless victim, her fate ruled by evil agencies and bad madams. Although this often does happen and is definitely an issue that needs attention, reality is much more complicated.”
In Lebanon, domestic workers have joined with organizations, such as Kafa (enough) Violence & Exploitation, the Migrant Workers Task Force, and others, to end the kafala system and more. They’ve launched research projects, social media campaigns, film and other media projects, to decry the inhumanity of the system and the brutality that is visited upon them regularly. They’ve tried to contextualize the tragic and regular tales of suicide among migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. Throughout, they’ve insisted that their human rights story is a women workers’ story.
To that end, the women persuaded Lebanon’s National Federation of Labor Unions to endorse their union proposal. Five weeks ago, the Federation submitted a proposal to the Labor Ministry applying for formal recognition of a migrant domestic workers’ union. As Carlos Abdullah, head of the Federation, explained, “We’re in a struggle phase now … This is the start of the journey and we don’t know how much time it will take to set up the union.”
With the National Federation of Labor Unions on board, migrant women workers, from all over the world, established their own autonomous women workers’ space. According to Lily Jacqueline, from Madagascar, “It’s a big step forward. Maybe we could have a common contract for all domestic workers and force employers to abide by it.” Gemma, who has lived in Lebanon since 1993, concurs, “We domestic workers are not seen as real employees. We are … employees, not … slaves.” Leticia, a Filipina domestic worker, agreed, “We want to be treated like human beings, like real workers. With this union, I will no longer feel alone in the face of abuse.”
To no one’s surprise, the Ministry of Labor today rejected the proposal, saying it prefers a legislative route, which has thus far completely failed women workers, rather than one of trade unionism. The struggle continues, and the women continue to organize to be treated like human beings, like real workers.
(Photo Credit: AFP/ Anwar Amro)
[…] In Lebanon, immigrant and migrant women domestic workers are organizing a union. In Pakistan domestic workers have formed their first trade union, partly as a response to increasing violence against domestic workers and partly as a response to the affirmative recognition of their combined rights and power. Last December, the Pakistan Workers Federation formed the Domestic Workers Trade Union. Of 235 members, 225 are women domestic workers. Sumaira Salamat, in Lahore, is a member: “It’s only in the last year-and-a-half that these women have finally realised the importance of what it means to become a united force. We want to be recognised as workers, just like our counterparts working in factories and hospitals are. We would also like to get old age benefits like pensions when we retire; but most of all we want better wages and proper terms of work.” […]
Lebanon’s immigrant domestic workers remain vulnerable to abuse
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/6/26/lebanons-migrant-domestic-workers-vulnerable-to-abuse.html
The quiet resistance of domestic workers in Lebanon https://www.opendemocracy.net/beyondslavery/safepassages/cameron-thibos-roula-hamati/quiet-resistance-of-domestic-workers-in-lebanon
‘We Are Not Slaves, We Want Our Rights’: Lebanon’s Migrant Domestic Workers March on Labour Day https://globalvoices.org/2017/05/03/we-are-not-slaves-we-want-our-rights-lebanons-migrant-domestic-workers-march-on-labour-day/
A cage built with laws, not bars https://www.opendemocracy.net/cameron-thibos-marie-jos-tayeh-farah-salka/cage-built-with-laws-not-bars
Migrant workers fighting for freedom under Lebanon’s Kefala system https://www.opendemocracy.net/north-africa-west-asia/roshan-de-stone-david-l-suber/migrant-workers-fighting-for-freedom-under-leba
Lebanese government must end exploitation and shocking abuse of migrant domestic workers
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/04/lebanese-government-must-end-exploitation-and-shocking-abuse-of-migrant-domestic-workers/
“For decades, successive Lebanese governments have turned a blind eye to the abuses that migrant domestic workers suffer.” https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/03/lebanon-new-kafala-consultation-an-opportunity-to-protect-migrant-workers-rights/
Dear Madam/Sir,
My Name is Ghada Al Sharif and I am working as a consultant for UNDP Regional Office in Jordan to conduct a study on the non-governmental organizations which work for the rights or services of the domestic workers in the Arab States.
The purpose of this assignment is to conduct a mapping of all civil society organizations working for domestic workers such as labour unions, associations, non-governmental organizations including human rights organizations and women’s organizations or any other form of organization. The mapping should include all the organizations mentioned above whose overall mission or part of its work is to represent, advocate the rights of or provide services or aid for domestic workers (migrants and nationals) in 20 countries in the Arab region. The output would be a mapping
report covering each country which should include: the name of all organizations working there; basic information about each such as type of organization, year of establishment, geographic scope, confirmation that it isoperational; its main mission; a description of its work with domestic workers including the specific target group they work with and the main projects or services they provide; contact information: head of organization and
general contact information.
This information will be used to better design the future programmes. Thus would really appreciate it if you could fill the information using the following formatas soon as yo
U can please.
Name of Organization
Type of Organization
Year Of Establishment
Geographic Scope
Operational
/Non Operational
Mission
Description of Scope
Target Group
Service/Project
Contact Info
Your cooperation will be highly appreciated
Ghada Al Sharif
00962795702626
Lebanon: Sharp Decline in Human Rights https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/13/lebanon-sharp-decline-human-rights