Domestic workers highlight sponsorship system flaws

The Daily Star on September 24, 2012 - BEIRUT

Domestic workers tied to Lebanese “employers” danced in a flash mob on Beirut’s Corniche Sunday evening, in a performance designed to highlight the flaws in the sponsorship, or kafala, system which governs their work contracts. Organized by the non-governmental organizations KAFA and Insan, the event, accompanied by live music, drew a large crowd, and after the short, choreographed dance, flyers were handed out, and those who favor abolishing the system were invited to sign a large banner.

There are 200,000 migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, and the sponsorship system legally ties each of them to their employer,

Earlier this month, Domestic worker dies in a presumed suicide

12 September 2012 - An Ethiopian domestic worker was found dead in the area of Bsaleem in the Metn district after she had fallen off the roof of a building, the National News Agency reported.
The report said preliminary results revealed that the deceased 22-year-old worker, identified as Lomina Arina, committed suicide, adding that her body was transferred to the Asharq al-Awsat Hospital.
A number of domestic workers have been taking their own lives in Lebanon mainly due to acts of abuse committed by their employers.

12 أيلول 2012 - نقلت الى مستشفى "الشرق الاوسط" الخادمة الاثيوبية لومينا ارينا 22 عاما جثة، اثر سقوطها من على سطح بناية اديب حنا في بصاليم - شارع النجاة، والمعلومات تشير الى اقدامها على الانتحار .