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 .

الخادمة إلى المستشفى وربة المنزل إلى السجن

أوقف قاضي التحقيق في جبل لبنان رامي عبد الله مواطنة لبنانية بجرم محاولة قتل خادمتها. وفيما سيقت ربّة المنزل إلى السجن، نُقلت الخادمة الفيليبينية إلى المستشفى بحالة حرجة. فقد كانت تعاني من ندوبٍ وجروحٍ وتورّمات ناجمة عن الضرب والتعذيب، بالإضافة إلى سوء التغذية الحادّ الذي كانت قد أصيبت به بسبب منع الطعام عنها
جريدة الأخبار، العدد ١٧٩٣ الثلاثاء ٢٨ آب ٢٠١٢، رضوان مرتضى

لم تكن جونالين لاس تعلم أن الحظّ السيّئ سيرمي بها بين براثن ربّة منزلٍ لا تعرف الرحمة، عندما تركت وطنها الفيليبين لتعمل خادمة في لبنان. هنا، انتقلت إلى منزل مخدومتها. سيّدة ثلاثينية تقطن في عوكر. بدأت بخدمتها منذ سنتين، لكن رحة عذابها بدأت منذ أشهر، وانتهت أخيراً في غرفة العناية المركّزة في مستشفى قلب يسوع.

Firas Yatbokh for Swarna: A Fundraiser Dinner Party

In responce to this fundraising call, Firas Yatbokh is featuring a special Yatbokh.

'Our friend and Co-cook Swarna has recently undergone a heart surgery. We are thankful that the operation succeeded and she is on her way to health again. However, to have this operation, Swarna has incurred a debt of $1200. This event, therefore, is a fundraiser to cover Swarna's debt. Come and bring your friends and let's help out!'

The ticket price is @ 25.000 L.L, and there will also be a donation box at the bar if you're able and willing to contribute more.

Date:
Thursday, August 23, 2012
9:00pm until 12:00am

Fb event

An Ethiopian domestic worker dies while trying to flee her employer’s house: What investigation?

On August 9, 2012, a few media reported the death of Alani Silvo, an Ethiopian domestic worker aged 24 who fell to her death while trying to escape with a rope from her employers’ apartment in Beirut.

CLDH team - Centre Libanais des Droits de l'Homme - went to the scene and noted that in spite of the circumstances, no measure had been taken to consider the incident as a potential crime: the place had not been secured and the employers of

Deadly escape: falling from 12th floor to first floor

LBCI News reported two days ago that Alani Silvo, born in 1988, attempted to escape from 12th floor of her employer's house, after arguing with the employer. But she fell on the balcony of the first floor and died instantly. Investigations are ongoing. Original Arabic text:

فرّت الاثيوبية الاني سيلفو - من  مواليد1988بعدما رمت بنفسها ولخلافات سابقة، من الطابق الثاني عشر من منزل مخدومتها  (ل.ص. ر) في شارع ماغي الحاج في سد البوشرية لكنها سقطت على شرفة الطابق الاول، ما أدى الى مقتلها على الفور والتحقيقات مستمرة.

العاملات المنزليّات: ظلمٌ «De Facto»

جريدة الأخبار، العدد ١٧٣٧ الخميس ٢١ حزيران ٢٠١٢، حسن شقراني

اغتصاب، استغلال، تعذيب، إهانة... تكثر «الأفعال الشائنة» التي يُمكن المرء أن يملأ بها فراغات الأخبار المتعلّقة بالعاملات المنزليات في لبنان. في حال تعذُّر الاختيار من التشكيلة الموجودة، تكون حياة العاملة المهاجرة المذكورة قد انتهت بالانتحار حتماً. هذا هو الواقع الذي يجب أن يتغيّر جذرياً عبر إسقاط الأعراف المشوّهة وإنتاج التشريعات الحقوقية. تُضيء منظمة العمل الدولية على هذا الجانب المخزي من النشاط الاقتصادي في لبنان عبر ورشة عمل تتمحور حول تفعيل دور المنظمات غير الحكومية في حملات الدفاع عن حقوق العاملات المنزليات المهاجرات، في وقت يبقى فيه العمل المنزلي «منتقص القيمة ومحجوباً»، وفيما يبتعد فيه العمل المنزلي كثيراً عن معايير العمل اللائق.

Image of dead domesetic worker on Murr TV's "You Report"

The image published here: http://mtv.com.lb/YouReport/95629 and only has a caption in Arabic saying that it's an image of a dead domestic worker near one of the buildings in Mazra'it Yashou.

صورة لعاملة منزل ميتة على الأرض قرب إحدى المباني في منطقة مزرعة ياشوع

MTV You Report allows MTV viewers to submit photos, video and articles of newsworthy events directly to MTV for possible use on mtv.com.lb and on MTV tv broadcast.

Bangladeshi domestic worker in apparent suicide north of Beirut

A Bangladeshi domestic worker was found dead Wednesday at an employment agency in Jbeil, north of Beirut, in what appears to be a suicide.

The woman, 27, was found hanged. The office curtains, apparently used as a noose, were around her neck. The woman was identified

Tourism Ministry bans discrimination at beaches

May 18, 2012, by Annie Slemrod, The Daily Star

BEIRUT: The Tourism Ministry has opened the summer beach season by banning resorts from discriminating on the basis of race, nationality or disability, but reports of bias in entry policies persist and some owners appear unwilling to conform to the new regulations. The issue of racism at Lebanon’s popular beach clubs is not new.

In 2010, the activist group Anti-Racism Movement caused a stir with a video that showed a black woman being denied entry to Beirut’s Sporting Club. This week,

Amel Association Alerts for Exploitation of Migrant Women

Below are a few quotes from Zeina Mohanna, Amel's coordinator of the project for the defense of migrant women in Lebanon. These come in an interview with Mohanna last week while in Italy, to attend, along with a delegation of Egyptian, Jordanian and Lebanese social workers, a conference studying a system providing protection and assistance for migrants and enabling the fight against human trafficking in her country. The name of the conference is, "The Mediterranean, a sea of slaves".

"These women access the country through a so-called sponsorship. They are registered under the sponsorship of their employer or someone else in the family. And then, their identity documents are automatically seized."

''We are fighting in order to allow these women to enter Lebanon through a visa and a regular working permit. We want to prevent them from becoming the property of their employer. We are asking for them to be protected either by a specific law regulating their work and their rights or by ordinary labour legislation, just as any other worker. Part of our work consists of raising awareness of both Lebanese citizens and migrant women, making them understand their rights and inviting them to ask for help to people who can support them. We work with Caritas, Un ponte per.. and other organizations."

"We are here to learn best practices implemented in Italy and to study how to organise the "shelters" (reception centres for first aid of women needing assistance and subjected to mistreatment, e.n).

Full article can be accessed on ANSAmed.

Migrant Workers in Lebanon: No to Medieval Treatment

By: Sanaa Khoury, Al-Akhbar English, edited translation from the Arabic Edition, published Friday, April 27, 2012

The Migrant Workers’ Parade and Festival, set for Sunday in Beirut, is seeking to “change mentalities” about foreign workers in Lebanon.
African migrant workers continue to be called fahmeh (charcoal) or abed (slave) on Lebanon’ streets. Asians can still be addressed as “Jackie Chan” or “Bruce Lee.” Arab laborers are routinely referred to as mukhabarat (informers) or as “stinkers.”

The racism practiced by part of Lebanese society against migrant workers is medieval. Yet the Lebanese state refuses to enact laws

في عيد العمّال (الأجانب)... «كفى» عنصرية

«لأن العمال الأفارقة ما زالوا ينعتون بالفحمة والعبد في شوارع لبنان، والآسيويين ما زالوا يسمّون بجاكي شان وبروس لي، والعمال العرب ما زالوا يسمون بالمخابرات والـ«طالعة ريحتهم»؛ لأنّ الدولة اللبنانية ترفض أن تشرّع قوانين تحمي العاملات والعمال الأجانب (...) حيث بعض المجتمع اللبناني ما زال يمارس عنصرية القرون الوسطى على الوافدين/ات...»، سيشهد الأحد 29 نيسان (أبريل) الجاري تظاهرةً احتجاجيّة فريدة.

«حركة مناهضة العنصريّة» وجّهت الدعوة على فايسبوك إلى الاحتفال بعيد العمّال، تكريماً لمن يربون أولادنا، وينزهون كلابنا، ويحرسون أبنيتنا، ويبنون الأبراج الشاهقة التي ترتفع في عاصمتنا. هذا العيد ليس عيداً للعمال اللبنانيين فقط، بل هو يوم لكلّ كادح يتعب لتأمين لقمة عيشه. من أحقّ بالاحتفال بهذا اليوم في لبنان من العاملات في الخدمة المنزليّة مثلاً؟ هذا ما فكّرت به الحركة بالشراكة مع جمعيّات «كفى»، و«نسويّة»، و«إنسان»، و«الرعاية الرعوية للمهاجرين الأفارقة والآسيويين PCAAM» التي ستنظّم تظاهرة تطالب بإلغاء نظام الكفالة الشبيه بأنظمة الاستعباد.

متابعة القارءة: http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/63022

A Jailed Domestic Worker Raped by Police Officer in Nabatieh شرطي يغتصب عاملة أجنبية في نظارة النبطية

Al-Akhbar newspaper reported today that a Bengali domestic worker detained in Nabatieh prison was raped by a police officer in her cell, on February 14th, 2012. The case is today in front of the courts and being formally investigated. Al-Akhbar suggests possible cover up attempts, but highlights the work of some judges and lawyers to keep the accuse police officer behind jails.

The Arabic text follows. The full English translation should be available on http://english.al-akhbar.com/ soon.

Ethiopians in Lebanon protest their consulate's apathy, callousness

Ethiopian demonstrators wave their country's flag as they chant slogans outside their consulate in Badaro bemoaning its neglect of Ethiopians in Lebanon, April 1, 2012. (Justin Salhani/The Daily Star)

April 01, 2012, by Justin Salhani, The Daily Star

BEIRUT: A crowd of Ethiopians gathered outside the Ethiopian Consulate in Badaro Sunday afternoon to protest its neglect of their community in Lebanon.

Following a Sunday church service nearby, a few dozen women and one man walked to the consulate and demonstrated outside.

The assembled expressed their frustration with consular officials' perceived callousness, saying that when Ethiopians contact their consulate