Kafala system: Modern-day slavery subjecting Ghanaian women to sexual, physical and mental abuse in Lebanon

Every year several Ghanaian women migrate to Lebanon in search of work to help their families back home or to better themselves. The opportunity in Lebanon is seemingly unmissable. Advertised as sponsorship that helps a person grow financially through employment, the Kafala system, could convince someone without hindsight that greener pastures are in the Gulf State.

The stark reality however is, Kafala system couldn’t be farther from the truth as it is a gateway to modern-day slavery; an opportunity for employers to exploit immigrant workers.

Workers in the Kafala system have no rights. Their identification documents such as passports are held by agents who assign them to families. Their immigrant worker visas will be revoked if they choose to run. They are owned by their agents and employees, subject to anything and everything.

English | July 17, 2020

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