Lebanon’s kafala system explained

Calls to abolish Lebanon’s kafala sponsorship system for migrant domestic workers have been on the rise after recent high-profile reports detailed shocking levels of abuse, in line with years of similar evidence.

The system “has trapped migrant domestic workers in a nightmarish web of abuse ranging from exploitative working conditions to forced labor and human trafficking,” according to a recent report by Amnesty International.

Two domestic workers are estimated to die in Lebanon each week, many in suicides or botched escape attempts. Just Sunday, a domestic worker, reportedly from Sri Lanka, was found hanging from a tree in Tyre, the state-run National News Agency reported.

English | May 20, 2019

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