Working with
Migrant Domestic Workers
in Lebanon (1980-2012):
A mapping of NGO services
Prepared by Marie-José Tayah
International Labour Organization
Regional Office for Arab Sates
Copyright © International Labour Organization 2012
First published in English 2012
Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright
Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that
the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications
(Rights and Permissions), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: pubdroit@
ilo.org. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications.
Libraries, institutions and other users registered with reproduction rights organizations may make copies in
accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights
organization in your country.
Title: Working with Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon (1980-2012): A Mapping of NGO Services
Beirut, International Labour Organization, 2012
ISBN: 978-92-2-126649-5 (print)
ISBN: 978-92-2-126650-1 (web pdf)
The designations employed in ILO, EU and SDC publications, which are in conformity with United Nations
practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the
part of the ILO, EU and SDC concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers.
The responsibility for opinions expressed in signed articles, studies and other contributions rests solely with their
authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by the ILO, EU and SDC of the opinions expressed
in them.
Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the
ILO, EU and SDC, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of
disapproval.
This publication has been produced by ILO Regional Office for Arab States in collaboration with the Ministry of
Labour in Lebanon, and with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU), Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation (SDC).
ILO publications and electronic products can be obtained through major booksellers or ILO local offices in
many countries, or direct from ILO Publications, International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.
Catalogues or lists of new publications are available free of charge from the above address, or by email: pubvente@
ilo.org or visit our website: www.ilo.org/publns
For ILO publications in Arabic, please contact:
ILO Regional Office for Arab States
P.O.Box 11-4088 Riad El Solh 1107-2150
Beirut - Lebanon
Publications in Arabic are available on: www.ilo.org/arabstates
Printed in Lebanon.
Preface
Over the past decade and a half, Lebanon, which has a long and proud history of
emigrants across the world, has played host to diverse migrant streams hailing mainly
from South and Southeast Asian and African but also from some Arab countries. The
former are usually women domestic workers while those from the neighbouring Arab
states are in the construction and services sectors. This has brought its own attendant
challenges, which are mainly related to the guarantee of the working rights of these
migrant workers and how best to safeguard their basic rights.
The ILO believes that respecting migrant workers’ rights is critical to any strategy for
realising the development potential of migration. Migrant workers make their best
contributions to the origin and destination countries when they enjoy decent working
conditions, and when their fundamental human and labour rights are respected in the
host countries. It is recognized that this goal requires a set of national policies target-
ing improved labour laws and access to social protection services for migrant workers,
preventing exploitation and promoting their basic human rights.
Lebanon has taken the initiative to tackle these challenges, working with the ILO to
improve its policies and legislation and to promote a rights-based approach especially
in the governance of the entry and working conditions of women migrant domestic
workers. Notably, the Ministry of Labour has, with ILO assistance, developed a stand-
ard unified contract, which provides a common set of standards to protect migrant
domestic workers, and a private decree on monitoring Private Employment Agencies.
Recently, the Syndicate of the Owners of Recruitment Agencies in Lebanon (SORAL)
developed a code of ethics and implementation mechanism to regulate the conduct
of its members in line with relevant international labour and human rights standards.
Much of this forward looking agenda has been supported by SDC and EU-funded
Action Programme for Promoting the Rights of Women Migrant Domestic Work-
ers in Lebanon (PROWD). The PROWD project aims to improve the situation of
women migrant domestic workers (WMDWs) in Lebanon by ensuring favourable
working conditions and a regulated environment that protects their rights. Specifically,
PROWD constitutes the extension and consolidation of an initial phase that fits into
a long-term intervention planned by the ILO at the regional level. The pilot phase was
led by the Ministry of Labour (MoL) in cooperation with ILO, other UN agencies,
government institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the context
of the National Steering Committee on Women Migrant Domestic Workers.
The guide provides an overview of the work of non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) with migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Lebanon. It traces the history
of NGO involvement with MDWs since the early 1980s to explore the approaches
underlying NGO interventions and partnerships.
3
Further to this analytical component, the report includes a directory of the services
currently available to MDWs across Lebanon. This guide is searchable by service type
and by the geographical location of the service. Finally, the appendices provide the
contact information for these organizations and a full listing of the publications pro-
duced by the latter.
The main purpose of the report is to explore how NGO agendas in the MDW sub-
field have progressed since the deliberations of the National Steering Committee on
Women Migrant Domestic Workers. I expect it will be helpful in informing the inter-
ventions of relevant stakeholders in the area of domestic work.
Nada Al-Nashif
Regional Director
Regional Office for Arab States
International Labour Organization
4
Acknowledgements
This mapping could not have come into fruition without the much precious time
and effort of numerous individuals. The development of the report from its initial
conceptualization can be attributed to the work of Ms. Marie-José L. Tayah from the
Action Programme for Promoting the Rights of Women Migrant Domestic Workers
(PROWD) at the ILO Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) in Beirut. Many
thanks are due to ILO ROAS consultant Ms. Zeinab Ribai who was instrumental in
supporting the logistics of the research process, Ms. Zeina Mezher (ILO-ROAS) for
her invaluable insight, Ms. Tania Massad (ILO-ROAS), Ms. Joumana Karamé (ILO
Consultant) and Ms. Rasha Tabbara for their continued organizational efforts, and Ms.
Reham Rached (ILO-ROAS) for her coordination of the design and printing process.
Special thanks are also due to Mr. Maurizio Bussi (ILO Bangkok, previously ILO
ROAS) and Ms. Simel Esim (ILO Geneva, previously ILO ROAS) for commenting on
the survey questions, Ms. Hélène Harroff-Tavel (ILO ROAS) for her overall support,
and Mr. Azfar Khan (ILO ROAS), Mr. William Gois (Migrant Forum in Asia) and Mr.
Hadi Assaf (ILO Consultant) for their comments on the final version of the report.
We are grateful to all the civil society representatives who were able to participate in
the mapping exercise.
5
Acronyms
AAI Amel Association International
AAMC Afro-Asian Migrant Center
APECL Assemblée des Patriarches et Evêques Catholiques au Liban
ARCL Armenian Relief Cross Lebanon
ARM Anti Racism Movement
CLDH Centre Libanais des Droits Humains / Lebanese Center for Human Rights
CLMC Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center
CSO(s) Civil Society Organization(s)
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility
DRC Danish Refugee Council
FBO(s) Faith-Based Organization(s)
FRA Frontiers Ruwad Association
GDGS General Directorate of General Security
HRW Human Rights Watch
IA Insan Association
ISF Internal Security Forces
ISP Insan School Project
IWSAW Institute for Women Studies in the Arab World
Kafa Kafa (Enough) Violence & Exploitation
MCC Migrant Community Center
MCC Mennonite Central Committee
MDW(s) Migrant Domestic Worker(s)
MELC Middle East Life Center (part of Spring of Life Church)
MECC Middle East Council of Churches
NGO(s) Non-governmental organization(s)
NSC National Steering Committee on Women Migrant Domestic Workers
MoI Ministry of Interior
MoL Ministry of Labour
MoEHE Ministry of Education and Higher Education
MoSA Ministry of Social Affairs
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MWTF Migrant Workers Task Force
NEC National Evangelical Church
OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
PCAAM Pastoral Care for Afro Asian Migrants
SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
SORAL Syndicate of the Owners of Recruitment Agencies in Lebanon
SCORA The Standing Committee on Reproductive Health including AIDS
VI Voices International
WMDW(s) Women Migrant Domestic Worker(s)
6
Table of contents
Preface 3
Acknowledgements 5
Acronyms 6
1. Introduction 9
2. Methodology 11
3. History of NGO Involvement with MDWs 13
4. Theories of Change & Guide to NGO services 17
5. Beneficiaries 33
6. Geographical mapping of NGO services 35
7. Institutional Capacity & Networking 49
8. Conclusion & Recommendations 55
Directory of selected audio, visual, and printed publications 57
A. Research Papers & Reports 58
B. Books 61
C. Guides 62
D. Meeting and Workshop Reports 62
E. Training Reports/Manuals 62
F. Fact Sheets and Policy Briefs 63
G. Newsletters 64
H. Videos 64
I. Photos 65
J. TV/Radio Campaigns 66
K. Poster Campaigns 66
L. Brochures 69
M. Other 69
List of interviewees 71
Survey Instrument 75
List of Figures:
Figure 1 - History of NGO involvement with MDWs 14
Figure 2 - Theories of change underlying the work of NGOs with MDWs 17
Figure 3 - Beneficiaries of NGO initiatives 33
Figure 4 - Geographical Coverage of NGO Services 36
Figure 5 - Institutional capacity of NGOs 50
Figure 6 - Networking among NGOs 51
7
1 Introduction
Various institutional sources estimate the number of women migrant domestic
workers (WMDWs) in Lebanon between 150,000 and 220,000 in an overall workforce
of 1.45 million. In addition to cooking and cleaning, these women perform a variety
of care-related functions; WMDWs look after the children and nurse the elderly and
the disabled. Given their exclusion from labour protections and their willingness to
work longer hours in return for meager wages, WMDWs constitute an easy and low
cost solution to the Lebanese care deficit. Moreover, WMDWs contribute to the
employability of Lebanese women, releasing the latter from their traditional function
of primary caregivers in the household.
In spite of their vital contribution to the Lebanese care economy and to the
employment and financial empowerment of Lebanese women, WMDWs continue
to suffer countless incidents of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse at the hands
of their employers and the private employment agencies that recruit them. Civil
society organizations like Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center (CLMC) and the Pastoral
Committee for Afro-Asian Migrants (PCAAM) played a precursory role in pointing to
these abuses since the 1990s(1) and helped connect thousands of WMDWs with their
embassies and with pro-bono lawyers.(2)
In November 2005, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Ministry of
Labour (MoL), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),
UNIFEM (now UN Women), and CLMC convened a workshop on the situation of
WMDWs in Lebanon. In January 2006, the government of Lebanon established a
National Steering Committee (NSC) on WMDWs to follow up on the workshop’s
recommendations.
The workshop and NSC sessions sparked the interest of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in the problem of MDWs. NGOs established programs or
joined existing assistance networks in response to the, now visible, needs of WMDWs.
The adoption of the International Labour Organization Convention No. 189
concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers in June of last year further mobilized
donors, and consequently NGO action, around the issue of domestic work.
Albeit well-meaning, the mushrooming of MDW advocacy networks was, on occasion,
disadvantageous to the organizations initiating assistance programs to MDWs, to the
community of MDWs, and to the credibility of the “movement” for MDWs rights. The
pace at which these organizations flourished led to a number of adhoc and low-impact
interventions. For instance, NGOs were not always aware of other actors working in
the field and proceeded to duplicate initiatives. Also, NGOs initiated programs well
beyond their mandates which led them to operate at less than optimal capacity.
(1) Varia, Nisha. 2011. “Sweeping changes?” A review of recent reforms on protections for migrant domestic workers in Asia and the Middle East. Canadian
Journal of Women and the Law 23 (1), page 283.
(2) Jureidini, Ray. 2002. Women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. International Migration Papers 48. ILO: Geneva, pages 12-13.
9
In the context of the EU and SDC-funded Action Programme for Promoting the
Rights of Women Migrant Domestic Workers (PROWD), the ILO’s Regional Office
for Arab States (ILO-ROAS) conducted a mapping of NGO services to MDWs in
Lebanon. This mapping aims to develop an understanding of how the NGO dynamics
in the MDW subfield have progressed since the deliberations of the NSC, and to share
a summary of these developments with relevant stakeholders.
More specifically, the report traces the history of NGO involvement with MDWs
since the early 1980s to explore the patterns underlying NGO interventions and
partnerships. Further to this analytical component, the report includes a directory of
the services currently available to MDWs across Lebanon. This guide is searchable by
service type and by the geographical location of the service. Finally, the appendices
provide the contact information for these organizations, and a full listing of the
publications produced by the latter and by other institutions and individuals.
We expect the findings of this report to guide NGOs in establishing efficient referral
systems for MDWs, new entrants in carving out their niche in the MDW subfield,
and donors in supporting initiatives for the promotion of decent working and living
conditions for MDWs.
10
2 Methodology
During the months of February-April 2012, ILO conducted in-depth interviews with
5 faith-based organizations (FBOs), 2 volunteer based associations, 10 NGOs, and 1
research center. A limited number of these interviews were conducted over telephone
or by email because of scheduling conflicts between our research team and the
research participants. This exercise does not purport to include all the organizations
that are working with MDWs in Lebanon. Rather, the institutions approached through
this exercise were selected based on the visibility of their involvement with MDWs
and, to a lesser extent, on the technique of snowball sampling. Please refer to the list of
participating organizations at the end of the document.
During these interviews, our research team inquired about the type, breadth, and
goal(s) of the services provided by these organizations, the human resource capacity
dedicated by these organizations for the delivery of these services, and cooperation
with other entities on MDW-related initiatives. Please refer to the survey instrument at the end
of the document for a full listing of the questions that we posed.
Interview data were substantiated with information available on these organizations’
websites or blog spots. Respondents were invited to revise and validate interview and
online data. We omitted the profiles of organizations that defaulted on the validation
process in order to preserve the credibility of our overall interpretation of NGO
contributions to the MDW subfield.
11
3 History of NGO Involvement with MDWs
To the best of our knowledge, six(3) reviews of the MDWs subfield were conducted
since 2000. Young (2000) categorized the organizations working with MDWs by their
type. As such, he identified an umbrella organization (i.e., PCAAM), national and
professional associations, religious entities, Lebanese organizations, and embassies of
the countries of origin.(4) Jureidini (2002) complemented Young’s (2000) review by
comparing the services provided to MDWs across organizations of the same type.(5)
Both Young (2000) and Jureidini (2002) recognized the importance of these institutions
in providing legal, medical, and social assistance. On the other hand, they lamented
the inaction of government institutions on the preventive end of the MDW subfield.
The absence of legal and social protections fueled the demand for more legal, medical,
and social assistance than NGOs could handle. Although briefly, Jureidini (2002, 17)
introduced the importance of the emerging informal network of freelance workers(6)
in generating employment and housing opportunities for runaway domestic workers.
Seven years later, in 2009, Voices International (VI) conducted a “gap analysis” of the
MDWs subfield. A team of researchers interviewed 60 people representing human
rights organizations, independent lawyers, academics, NGOs, embassies, consulates,
individuals working directly with MDWs, and MDWs. This study pointed to three
main gaps; (1) absence of direct assistance to MDWs besides CLMC’s shelter assis-
tance; (2) absence of coordinated targeted advocacy to influence policy about MDWs;
and, (3) larger emphasis on the suicide, abuse, and trafficking of MDWs relative to
discussions about the rights of MDWs as workers.(7)
Recently, in March 2012, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) established a consortium
of active NGOs to increase nationwide coordination of assistance to MDWs. Members
of the consortium are CLMC, Insan Association (AI), Kafa (Enough) Violence &
Exploitation (Kafa), the Anti Racism Movement (ARM), and Amel Association
International (AAI). Consortium members are tasked with the development of a
common data management system that would enable an effective referral system
for WMDWs. A “stakeholder analysis” by and of consortium members pointed to a
number of cracks in NGO service delivery mechanisms, including; insufficient services,
short-term and poorly timed campaigns, lack of coordinated advocacy, and numerous
target audiences. The consortium found these weaknesses to be compounded by the
lack of sustainable funds, government instability, and government inaction.
(3) It is worth mentioning here that AAI conducted an extensive mapping in 2011 to inform its selection of members for the EU-funded regional project
“Enhancing the Situation of Migrant Domestic Workers in Arab countries.” The mapping was not made public. The International Organization for Migration
(IOM) is in the process of conducting a mapping of organizations working with MDWs to inform its projected activities with MDWs. The research is ongoing
and the format of the research (internal use or wide dissemination) remains to be determined.
(4) Young, Michael. 1999. Migrant workers in Lebanon. Lebanon NGO Forum, available at: http://www.lnf.org.lb/migrationnetwork/mig1.html [Accessed on
November 11, 2011].
(5) Jureidini, Ray. 2002. Women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. International Migration Papers 48. ILO: Geneva.
(6) Freelancers are, for the most part, former live-in domestic workers who elect to remain in Lebanon after their contract ends. Freelancers are responsible
for their accommodation arrangement and cost; they are hourly wage workers who tend to work for multiple employers.
(7) Interview with Ms. Catherine Osborne, Director of Voices International, on April 03, 2012.
13
In light of the above, twelve years of stakeholder analyses point to the continued near
absence of Lebanese government institutions from the MDW arena. Government
institutions are faltering on the prevention and response ends of the subfield. The void
left by public institutions motivated NGOs to coalesce, first in the 1990s and again
after the sessions of the NSC, for the purpose of establishing referral mechanisms
for MDWs. In the mid-1990s, catholic FBOs came together to deliver pastoral care,
legal aid, shelter, and counseling to MDWs. PCAAM exemplified said coordination. In
2009, the NSC brought the problems faced by MDWs to the attention of emergent
civil society organizations. These organizations geared their efforts towards the
empowerment of MDWs. Their activities involved mobilizing migrant community
leaders and building the capacity of MDWs through the administration of language
and computer classes. The DRC’s initiative to create a consortium of NGOs working
with MDWs produced - although unintentionally because DRC’s invitation was open
to all NGOs in the subfield - a secular homologue for PCAAM. It is worth noting
that the CLMC is member of both PCAAM and the DRC Consortium, and should
therefore be considered a quite valuable link between the old and new guards. NGOs
must be cautious to ensure proper sequencing and complementarity of efforts between
the two poles.
To monitor these trends at a micro level, beyond the time-bound snapshot approach of
these mappings, we include an historical review of the MDW subfield since the 1980s.
This detailed account indicates a near monopoly by FBOs of the MDW subfield until
the 2005 awareness raising workshop and subsequent NSC sessions. These focusing
events opened the subfield to new entrants and to new approaches for assisting MDWs.
We outline these approaches to assisting MDWs in the subsequent section.
Figure 1. History of NGO involvement with MDWs
Early Priests and sisters of the Latin rite begin to offer church services in English and legal assistance
1980s to migrant workers.
1988 Sister M. Herminia submits report about the conditions of migrant workers to the Pastoral
Conference on the Latin Clergy in Lebanon.
1992 Attorney Ramez Salamé drafts statutes of a Lebanese Association for migrants rights “Hand of
Friendship” and submits statutes to the Lebanese Ministry of Interior for legal recognition in
October 1992.
1994 Caritas Internationalis establishes CLMC to support migrant workers in Lebanon.
1995 MCC supports English language courses and basic computer skills for migrant workers.
1997 The Daughters of Charity Beirut appoints Sr. Amelia to establish the AAMC near Azariya.
1997 APECL adds a sub-committee for La Pastorale auprès de Immigres d’origine Afro-Asiatiques to
the existing Commission Episcopale pour la Coopération Missionnaire (PCAAM).
2000 MECC Diakonia and Social Justice Unit launches Prison Ministry Workshops for NGOs and
churches.
CLMC launches 24/7 protection program for migrant workers at General Security retention
centers.
14
2001 NEC launches Ministry of the Philemon Project to address the basic needs of migrant workers
and refugees.
2002 Migrant workers in the area of Nabaa begin to attend the Spring of Life Church and seek
assistance for the development of church groups and aid programs to serve their community.
CLMC launches assistance program for victims of trafficking in Lebanon.
CLMC implements EU funded project for the protection of the rights of migrant workers, asylum
seekers, and refugees in Lebanon.
2003 AAMC moves to the 1st floor of the Jesuit Church.
2004 Insan Association launches the ISP for the children of migrant workers.
2005 APECL names the 4th Sunday of May “Migrants’ Day for Lebanon”.
MoL, ILO, OHCHR, Caritas, UNIFEM organize awareness raising workshop on the situation of
WMDWs in Lebanon.
MECC Diakonia and Social Justice Unit launches Prison Ministry Workshops for prison
administrators and prison guards.
2006 Insan Association helps ISP students integrate Lebanese school system.
Migrants’ Day inaugurated in a mass rally at Bkerke with presentations of the various religions
and nationalities.
FRA organizes trainings for NGOs on how to approach refugee cases (identification and referral).
2007 CLMC launches EU-Funded campaign for the protection of MDWs “Do not do unto others what
you do not want others to do unto you”
Insan Association launches psychosocial services to migrants and their families.
2008 PCAAM develops teaching program for primary schools to sensitize Lebanese children to the
conditions of migrant workers.
PCAAM launches pastoral, social, and legal aid for MDWs.
2009 MoL leads NSC for the rights of WMDWs
CLMC convenes workshops for ISF, GS, and PEAs to improve their knowledge of human rights
and trafficking.
IWSAW launches research project about women in prisons, including WMDWs.
Insan Association launches legal clinic.
Insan organizes conference about MDW legislation with Minister of Labour Boutros Harb.
FRA convenes series of two-day roundtables for judges and lawyers about deportation and
arbitrary detention.
Executive Committee of APECL approves the internal statutes of PCAAM.
CLDH begins to offer legal services to WMDWs in detention centers.
2010 Kafa launches “Stop the exploitation of Migrant Domestic Workers” project (posters, petitions…).
IWSAW publishes Awareness Guide for Female Domestic Workers in Lebanon.
MECC convenes a workshop about migrants’ rights for NGOs operating in the Bourj Hammoud
area.
Migrants’ Day celebrated in the form of an expanded Mayflower Festival, in the parking space
east of St. Joseph Church.
Caritas launches EU-Funded campaign for the protection of WMDWs “Treat fairly to be served
kindly” (about the conditions of work of WMDWs).
2011 Caritas launches EU-funded campaign for the protection of WMDWs “Read before you sign”
(about the standard unified contract).
MECC coordinates series of radio shows about the conditions and rights of migrant in Lebanon.
LAU launches the centennial celebration of International Women’s Day 2011 through an
ecumenical worship service under the theme “Women praying together for the well-being of their
families”.
ARM establishes Migrant Community Center.
15
2011 ARM, MWTF administer language and computer classes to migrant workers.
In collaboration with AAI, IWSAW hosts workshop in preparation for the regional advocacy
campaign for WMDWs rights in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt.
Kafa launches two studies “Trafficking of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon: A legal
analysis,” and “An Exploratory study of psychoanalytic and social factors in the abuse of migrant
domestic workers by female employers in Lebanon.”
2012 DRC launches consortium of NGOs assisting MDWs.
Insan organizes Fashion and Human Rights event to raise the awareness of the Lebanese public
about the rights of MDWs.
Insan organizes conference about MDW legislation with Minister of Labour Charbel Nahhas.
Kafa launches study about alternatives to the Kafala system.
MWTF organizes events around documentary produced by Ethiopian domestic worker Rahel
Zegeye.
In collaboration with SCORA, MWTF gives reproductive health awareness sessions for migrant
workers.
International Migrant Workers’ Day in Souk El-Tayyeb.
16
4 Theories of change
NGO interventions are premised on one or more theories of change. Theories of
change encapsulate an organization’s understanding of the causes of and solutions to
a social conflict or policy problem. They are inspired by an organization’s institutional
mandate, the history of its involvement in a specific problem area, and donor priorities.
A theory of change provides a comprehensive picture of the interventions required
to reach a long-term goal articulated by the NGO. It is vital for effective program
planning and evaluation. The work of NGOs with MDWs in Lebanon can be grouped
under four grand theories of change: (1) NGO programs and services aim to affect
change at the level of the person of the MDW; (2) they work to alleviate the adverse
living and working conditions of MDWs; (3) they seek to transform the social and
economic structures that are unfavorable to MDWs; and finally, (4) they undertake to
alter the collective and critical consciousness of MDWs and the Lebanese public.
As indicated in figure 2, most NGOs address the problems facing MDWs from two
or more vantage points.
Figure 2. Theories of Change underlying the work of NGOs with MDWs
Intervention Level Approaches Organization
Pastoral care for MDWs. PCAAM; MECC; NEC
Psychosocial healing for MDWs. Insan
Empowerment: Building the agency of MDWs. ARM; VI
INDIVIDUAL
Empowerment: Building the knowledge base of MDWs. FRA
NEC; MCC; Insan; MWTF;
Empowerment: Building the capacities of MDWs.
ARM; Spring of Life
PCAAM; IWSAW; CLMC;
Social, medical, humanitarian, and legal assistance
CONDITIONS CLDH; Kafa; Spring of
to MDWs.
Life; ARCL
Action research and/or policy advocacy. IWSAW; Kafa; FRA
STRUCTURES Building the capacity of MoL, ISF, GS, SORAL, judges,
CLMC; MECC; FRA;
lawyers, the media, and NGOs to develop a rights based
IWSAW
approach to labour migration management.
Raising the awareness of MDWs to their rights.
PCAAM; MECC; Insan;
CULTURE Raising the awareness of employers to the rights ARM; MWTF; CLMC; Kafa
of MDWs.
Overall, NGOs have diversified their interventions in the area of domestic work to
operate on the preventive, reactive, and transformative levels of the domestic work
subfield. Preventive measures denote (1) building the agency of domestic workers; (2)
17
building the capacity of government agencies to improve their management of labour
migration; and, (3) advocating in favor of legislation that reflects international labour
standards. Reactive interventions encompass (1) medical assistance; (2) humanitarian
assistance; (3) legal assistance; (4) pastoral care; and, (5) psychosocial healing. Finally,
transformative initiatives are those activities that seek to challenge and transform
(1) the collective psyche of the Lebanese public about domestic work; and, (2) the
collective psyche of domestic workers about their own rights and responsibilities.
Lebanese NGO interventions are commonly reactive or transformational in nature.
Absent legal protections and a functioning national referral mechanism, NGOs have
had to allocate much of their resources to alleviate the legal, social, and medical
problems of migrant workers. Recently, and with the influx of donor funding for
MDW initiatives, NGOs have launched a number of poster, TV, and radio campaigns
to sensitize Lebanese employers to the rights of migrant workers.
In order to preserve their ability to respond to the ever growing needs of MDWs,
NGOs are encouraged to complement responsiveness with a degree of pro-action.
Attending to the immediate needs of MDWs, through service provision or referrals,
does not incapacitate the social and economic structures (racism, poverty, and gender
related vulnerabilities) that are enabling these needs to emerge in the first place.
Prevention requires building the capacity of government institutions to better manage
labour migration, and advocating in favor of policies that support the rights of MDW’s
as laid out in C 189.
The process of improving labour migration management and policy advocacy should
be informed by the realities of WMDWs rather than by those of NGOs. This is be-
cause the challenges facing MDWs (simultaneous exclusion of WMDWs along class,
gender, and racial lines) differ from those facing other vulnerable, yet local, NGO
beneficiaries.
We next include a detailed description of NGO services to MDWs at each of the “in-
dividual,” “structures,” “culture,” and “conditions,” levels. A number of these services
have been disrupted; other services continue to attract migrant domestic workers.
18
INDIVIDUAL A. Pastoral Care
Institution: PCAAM, AAMC
Date/duration: 2008-Ongoing
Goals: Maintain the faithfulness of migrants to their families in the home
country and to the Catholic Church
Services: Mass;
Spiritual Counseling and confessions;
Distribution of English and Tagalog bibles;
Open table;
Celebration of birthdays, baptisms, first communions, and weddings;
House visitations of MDWs;
Distribution of Euchallette (Sunday mass readings);
Radio broadcast for 30 minutes on the Voice of Charity/Sunday in Tagalog,
Ewe, Amharic, and Sinhalese;
Quarterly bulletin “Solidarity” (currently discontinued);
Monthly masses for WMDWs in the prisons of Baabda, Verdun, and Tripoli.
Beneficiaries: Afro-Asian migrants.
Institution: CLMC
Date/duration: 2008-Ongoing
Services: Open table every Sunday.
Beneficiaries: 50 migrant workers from various faith groups.
Institution: Spring of Life/MELC
Date/Duration: 2002- Ongoing
Services: Church services for the various communities of migrant workers;
Spiritual counseling;
The Kingdom Fiesta: a multi-national Christian festival (almost 750 MDWs
participants);
Valentines Youth Day Celebration (almost 100 MDWs from the Philippines);
Run 4 Spring of Life 2011: over 75 MDWs joined the Mutual Faith Lebanon
Team as they ran with thousands of other people during the Beirut Marathon
to raise funds for Spring of Life.
Institution: NEC’s International Community Church
Date/Duration: 2002-Ongoing
Services: Church services;
Spiritual counseling.
Beneficiaries: Non-Arab migrants and refugees (Church services; Spiritual Counseling).
19
INDIVIDUAL B. Psychosocial Healing
Institution: CLMC
Date/Duration: 2002-2007
Goal: Protecting the rights of migrant workers, asylum seekers, and refugees
in Lebanon.
Services: Social counseling and assistance.
Beneficiaries: 4,000 migrant workers, asylum seekers, and refugees in Lebanon.
Institution: IWSAW
Date/Duration: 2001-2010
Services: Rehabilitation and vocational training program for women in Lebanese prisons.
IWSAW provided these women with psychological assistance and established
a confrontation room at the Tripoli prison.
Beneficiaries: Lebanese and non-Lebanese women in the four women prisons across Lebanon.
Institution: Insan Association
Date/Duration: 2011
Services: Psychosocial counseling & group therapy.
Beneficiaries: 60-70 women in the shelter of the Embassy of the Philippines.
Institution: Listening and Counseling Center at Kafa
Date/Duration: 2005-Ongoing
Services: 24/7 helpline (961-3-018019);
Forensic examiners;
Legal counseling;
Psychotherapy;
Referral to temporary safe house.
Beneficiaries: Lebanese and non-Lebanese victims of violence; Lebanese and non-Lebanese
victims of exploitation and trafficking; Lebanese and non-Lebanese sexually
abused children.
20
INDIVIDUAL C. Building the Capacity of MDWs & Their Families
Institution: NEC-run Schneller School
Date/Duration: 1975-Ongoing
Services: Traditional education for migrants from KG to grade 12; and,
Vocational training (carpentry, maintenance, general mechanics,
and car mechanics).
Beneficiaries: Orphans and socially underprivileged children
170 boys (ages 5-18) are growing up together in eight ‹families›.
Two housemothers live with and take care of each of the younger families,
and one housefather takes care of each of the older families.
Institution: CLMC
Date/Duration: 1990s-Ongoing
Goals: Keeping women at the shelter busy; selling items created at the shelter
to raise money for the repatriation of these women (e.g., buy a suitcase; buy
gifts for these women’s children; arrange for transportation from the airport
to the home of these women).
Services: Make-up, computer, language, cooking, and sewing classes.
Beneficiaries: Women migrant workers at CLMC’s two shelters and safe house.
Institution: MCC
Date/Duration: 1995-Ongoing
Goal: Building the capacity of refugees and migrant workers who are seeking
resettlement in more traditional countries of immigration.
Service: Covering the cost of English courses at the American Lebanese Language
Center at discounted rates.
Beneficiaries: 25 migrant workers and refugees every year (almost 400 since 1995).
Institution: Spring of Life Church/MELC
Date/Duration: 2002-Ongoing
Services: Daily mentoring, tutoring, and training at the Children Center.
Beneficiaries: 200 children (mostly street children and children of Syrian workers) residing in
the areas of Nabaa and Bourj Hammoud.
Institution: Insan School Project
Date/duration: 2004-Ongoing
Services: ISP administers tailor-made tutoring plans to the children of MDWs,
refugees, and underprivileged Lebanese, in English and math, based on the
children’s individual performance levels. In 2006, the ISP helped students
21
integrate the traditional school system. Insan arranges for transportation from
and to the southern, northern, and eastern suburbs of Beirut and covers the
cost of books and school uniforms. Almost 130 students have integrated the
traditional school system.
Insan Association offers daily evening classes to 30 adults.
Institution: PCAAM, AAMC
Date/duration: 2008-Ongoing
Services: Arabic and French language courses; basic health courses.
Beneficiaries: Migrant workers.
Institution: MWTF
Date/duration: 2011-Ongoing
Services: Weekly language (English and French) and computer classes at Zico House
(Sanayeh), the Migrant Community Center (Nabaa), and the Sudanese Cultural
Association (Hamra). Language classes are divided into several levels: learning
ABC; learning basic words; beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Beneficiaries: 163 registered male and female migrant workers. They are mostly domestic
workers from: Sudan (53), Ethiopia (63), Eritrea (2), Sri Lanka (3), Burkina
Faso (6), Ivory Coast (4), Cameroon (1), Madagascar (10), Senegal (2),
South Sudan (1), Iraq (1), Philippines (1), Syria (2), and, Benin (2).
The majority are from Beirut (Ashrafieh, Hamra, Malla, Verdun, Raouche, Aicha
Bakkar). A number of migrant workers commute from Jounieh and Mount
Lebanon.
Institution: NEC - Ministry of the Philemon Project
Date/duration: 2002-Ongoing
Goal: Building the skills of migrant workers and refugees who are seeking
resettlement in western countries of immigration.
Services: Language courses, computer skills, artisan skills, entrepreneurship.
Beneficiaries: Almost 20 migrant workers/refugees a month.
Institution: CLMC - Beit Aleph
Date/duration: 2008-Ongoing
Goal: Preparatory education of the unschooled children of migrant workers (ages 3
to 12) in the Arabic, French, and English languages, computer, math, and
general knowledge.
Services: Tailor-made education plans;
Social, medical, and legal follow-up by social workers; and,
Transportation from/to the school by CLMC.
Beneficiaries: In 2010, the school hosted 64 students (From Sri Lanka, Sudan, the
Philippines, Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, India, and the Seychelles).
22
CONDITIONS A. Legal Support
Institution: CLMC
Date/Duration: 1994-Ongoing
Services: Free consultations and representation in courts;
Mediation between employers and private employment agencies (PEAs);
Analysis of legal cases (large archive)
Beneficiaries: Tens of thousands of migrant workers, asylum seekers, and refugees
in Lebanon.
Institution: PCAAM, AAMC
Date/duration: 2008-Ongoing
Services: PCAAM’s legal research group is building a legal database of a 100 cases about
arbitrary mistreatment. Cases in the database are indexed based on the
following codes:
(A) Accusation of stealing / (B) Beating / (C) Confinement / (F) Food withheld
(O) Overwork / (P) Payment withheld / (S) Sexual abuse / (V) Verbal abuse
Beneficiaries: Afro-Asian migrant workers.
Institution: IWSAW
Date/Duration: 2001-2010 (mostly 2009)
Services: Rehabilitation and vocational training program for women in Lebanese prisons.
IWSAW has assisted in the deportation of 60 WMDWs and provided legal
counseling to WMDWs at 4 women prisons across Lebanon.
Beneficiaries: Lebanese and non-Lebanese women in the four women prisons across Lebanon.
Institution: CLDH
Date/duration: 2009-ongoing
Services: Visitation of detention centers and women’s prison;
Meetings with embassies of the countries of origin; and,
Legal assistance to MDWs seeking legal representation.
Beneficiaries: Overall, CLDH has served 150 WMDWs (cases in detention centers and cases
presented through walk-in visitations).
Institution: Insan Association
Date/duration: 2009-Ongoing
Services: Legal clinic in partnership with Sagesse University third year law students.
These students often mediate cases between workers and their employers.
23
CONDITIONS B. Humanitarian Assistance
Institution: NEC Ministry of the Philemon Project
Date/duration: 2002-Ongoing
Goal: Relieve the sufferings of non-Arab migrants by addressing their basic needs.
Services: Help people threatened by homelessness;
Support parents who cannot afford the tuition fees of their children;
Seek solutions when medical aid is needed but cannot be accessed
(e.g., provision of small grants for hospitalization…);
Provide food parcels, used clothes, and blankets to refugees.
Beneficiaries: In 2010, the project provided assistance to 100 family units from Sudan,
Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Eritrea, Iraq, Egypt, Congo, Somalia,
and Lebanon.
Institution: Spring of Life Church/MELC
Date/duration: 2002-Ongoing
Services: Distribution center (food, clothing, and medical necessities).
Beneficiaries: Around 1,750 migrant workers attend Spring of Life. They come from
Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Ghana, and the Philippines.
They reside in the areas of Nabaa and Bourj Hammoud.
Institution: PCAAM, AAMC
Date/duration: 2008-Ongoing
Services: Purchasing food and other products for MDWs in prisons.
Institution: CLMC
Services: The CLMC provides assistance to 160 victims of human trafficking on a
yearly basis. Since 2003, the CLMC has assisted about 1,440 victims of
human trafficking;
The CLMC manages 2 shelters where it accommodates runaway migrant
workers, and one safe house where it accommodates victims of sexual and
physical abuse;
Once a week, a CLMC social worker visits a prison cell of 40 women migrant
workers;
CLMC operates a hotline;
CLMC coordinated the evacuation of Sri Lankan and Ethiopian domestic
workers to their home countries during the 2006 War and provided shelters
for evacuees in Syria;
CLMC is in the process of developing an emergency plan, in collaboration
with embassies and international relief organizations, for the evacuation of
migrant workers from Syria.
24
Institution: IWSAW
Date: 2009
Services: Rehabilitation and vocational training program for women in Lebanese prisons.
Distribution of shampoos, soaps, hygienic pads, mattresses, pillows, pillow
cases, blankets, and bed sheets.
Beneficiaries: 150 WMDWs in 4 prisons.
Institution: Kafa
Kafa has been operating a hotline number (+ 961-71-090910) since 2012.
25
CONDITIONS C. Medical Assistance
Institution: PCAAM, AAMC
PCAAM has been referring migrant workers to dispensaries, since 2008.
Institution: MECC Lady Dispensary
Services: Patients pay symbolic fees for medical services;
Center offers free pap smear exams;
Relief organizations distribute food coupons and milk on a monthly basis;
Health awareness manuals are available in Arabic; and,
With ARCL, MECC delivers health orientation sessions for migrant workers.
Beneficiaries: 3000 Iraqi refugees and 700 migrant workers every year
Institution: Spring of Life Church/MELC
Date/duration: 2002-Ongoing
Services: In collaboration with Tahhadi organization, the Middle East Life Center opens
its medical clinic 4 days a week
Beneficiaries: Receives 70 Lebanese citizens and migrant workers every day at no cost.
Refers migrants to medical specialists in other institutions who are willing
to forgo the cost of the medical procedures. These migrant workers are from
Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Ghana, and the Philippines.
They reside in the areas of Nabaa and Bourj Hammoud.
Institution: Caritas Medico-Social Centers
Date/duration: 1975-Ongoing
Services: 9 Medico-Social Centers (Saïda in 1975; Sin El Fil in 1986; Sarba in 1986;
Zahleh in 1989; Dahr el Aïn in 1993; Rayfoun in 1999; Tyr in 1998; Deir el
Kamar in 2000; Tripoli in 2006). These centers offer thousands of Lebanese
and non-Lebanese patients the following services:
Dental care;
Diagnosis;
Laboratory tests;
Medical check-up by generalists and /or specialists;
Minor surgeries;
Nursing care;
Ophthalmology;
Clinics; and,
Pharmaceutical products.
Beneficiaries: Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients.
26
Institution: NEC
Services: Referral of medical cases to al-Tahaddi clinic in Nabaa at no cost;
Referral of cases where medical intervention is required to AUH
Institution: ARCL Socio-Medical Center
Date/duration: 1930-Ongoing
Services: For a symbolic fee, ARCL delivers everything from first aid care to in depth
medical services, including dental care.
Beneficiaries: Fifty percent of patients are migrant workers (from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Morocco,
Egypt, Syria, the Philippines, Ethiopia, India, and Madagascar).
Institution: MWTF
Date/duration: 2012
Services: In collaboration with LeMisc Scora, MWTF is developing a resource directory
identifying medical entities that deliver free or affordable services to migrant
workers.
In collaboration with LeMisc Scora, MWTF is administering peer education
sessions on sexual and reproductive health.
Beneficiaries: Migrant workers.
Institution: AAI Healthcare, Social, and Development Centers
Services: AAI operates Healthcare, Social, and Development Centers in 12 locations
across Lebanon: Hay El Sollom; Bourj El Brajneh; Mucharrafieh; Shmestar;
Kamed El Loz; Ersal; El Ain; Tyre; Bazourieh; Khiyam; Halta; and, Fardis.
Beneficiaries: Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients.
27
STRUCTURES A. Building the Capacity of Government Officials,
Private Employment Agencies, Judges, Lawyers, Media
Institutions, and NGOs.
Institution: MECC, Diakonia and Social Justice Unit
Activities: Workshop introducing NGOs that operate in the area of Bourj Hammoud
to the rights of migrant workers. Participants included the Armenian relief
society, 35 NGOs, representatives from MoL, parliamentarians, embassies of
the countries of origin, the Human Rights Institute (HRI), and Human
Rights Watch (HRW).
2005-2011: MECC has led at least 9 Prison Ministry Workshops for almost
220 prison directors, guards, and personnel. The goal of these workshops is
to approach prison management from a human rights perspective.
Institution: CLMC
Date/duration: 2009-Ongoing
Service: CLMC organized trainings with the General Directorate of General Security
(GDGS), Internal Security Forces (ISF), and PEAS about human rights and
trafficking.
Institution: IWSAW
Date: 2009
Service: IWSAW organized trainings with law enforcement personnel to improve their
interaction with detainees and prisoners. Trainings introduced participants to
international treaties, agreements, and documents.
Institution: FRA
2009: FRA organized a series of two-day roundtables with judges concerning
deportation and arbitrary detention.
2009-2010: FRA organized a series of roundtables with lawyers concerning deportation
and arbitrary detention (25% of the lawyers were from Tripoli and 25% from
Beirut).
Institution: Kafa
KAFA convened 2 workshops with 30 owners of recruitment agencies.
These workshops addressed the abuses to which MDWs are being subjected
and the challenges that recruitment agencies encounter when bringing
assistance to MDWs.
28
CULTURE A. Raising the Awareness of the Lebanese Public
Institution: PCAAM
May 21, 2006: PCAAM inaugurated Migrants’ Day in a mass rally in Bkerke
with presentations introducing participants to the various religions and
countries that MDWs in Lebanon hail from.
2008: PCAAM prepared a teaching program about MDWs for primary schools.
May 2010: PCAAM celebrated Migrants’ Day in the form of an expanded
Mayflower Festival in the parking space east of St. Joseph Church.
Institution: IWSAW
2008: IWSAW screened the documentary Maid in Lebanon II: Voices from home.
Attending the screening were 40-50 staff members, faculty members, and
students.
2011: IWSAW organized an Ecumenical worship service to celebrate the centennial of
the International Women’s Day. The purpose of the worship service was to
encourage Lebanese and migrant women to pray together for the well-being of
their families.
Institution: MECC
2011-2012: MECC coordinated the broadcasting of 12 radio interviews, 45 minutes each,
with lawyers and human rights activists about the rights of WMDWs. Subjects
included:
International legal instruments;
Local laws;
Ways local laws departed from international instruments;
Global forum for migration;
Trafficking;
Migrant workers in detention centers.
The interviews were aired through RadioVan station in the Arabic and Armenian
languages.
Institution: Insan Association
2012: IA organized a fashion event at Behind the Green Door Pub in Gemmayze to
raise the awareness of a new category of Lebanese to the rights of MDWs.
2011: IA launched a poster campaign to disseminate the three following messages:
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” (in English
and Arabic); “Everyone has the right to education” (In English and Arabic);
and, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude” (In English and Arabic).
29
Institution: Kafa
2011: Kafa launched the campaign “Stop the exploitation of Migrant Domestic
Workers.” Messages were disseminated by means of:
A poster campaign;
A photo Exhibition titled “Unseen lives: Migrant Domestic Workers in
Lebanon”;
Post cards addressed to the Minister of Labour demanding the incorporation
of WMDWs under the coverage of labour law; a day off for WMDWs; the
right of WMDWs to change employers; the obligation of MoL to monitor
PEAs; and, the revision and translation of the standard unified contract;
Short stories about suicide cases that occurred in Lebanon between August
and September 2010;
TV campaign “Do not push her to commit your crimes: Toward legal
protection for migrant domestic workers” (TV spot of 33 seconds in Arabic);
Research about employers’ attitudes towards MDWs, trafficking in WMDWs,
and the kafala system.
Institution: MWTF
2011/2012 On the occasion of the “International Workers’ Day,” MWTF planned film
screenings about MDWs at the American University of Beirut, events
celebrating migrant workers in Souk-el-Tayyeb (farmers market), marches, and
poster campaigns. Case studies about migrant workers were posted on the
MWTF website.
Institution: CLMC
2007 CLMC launched a campaign “Do not do unto others what you do not want
others to do unto you.” The campaign stressed the rights of MDWs to a sick
leave, to the freedom of movement, and to fair, timely, and regular
remuneration (1 full TV spot of 52 seconds; Series of 4 short TV spots,
17 seconds each).
2010 CLMC launched a campaign “Treat fairly to be served kindly” to describe
the working conditions of WMDWs in Lebanon (TV spot of 41 seconds in
Arabic; Radio spots of 35 seconds in French, English, and Arabic).
2011 CLMC launched a campaign “Read before you sign” to raise the awareness of
MDWs and employers to the Standard Unified Contract. (TV spot of 38 seconds
in Arabic).
30
CULTURE B. Raising the Awareness of MDWs
Institution: CLMC
2002-2007: CLMC launched orientation sessions for 12,000 migrant workers, asylum
seekers, and refugees in Lebanon.
2010-2012: CLMC distributed a booklet regarding migrant workers rights and obligations in
Lebanon.
CLMC helped migrant workers in detention centers produce a newsletter.
The newsletter is under distribution at the GDGS detention centers.
Institution: MECC
2006-2010: MECC disseminated books for migrant children that speak about “how
problems develop and how children ought to resolve them within the frame of
human rights.”
Institution: IWSAW
IWSAW published and disseminated an awareness guide for female domestic
workers in Lebanon in four languages (English, Amharic, Nepalese, and
Sinhala). Copies (24,000) of the guide were distributed in churches, clubs, and
shopping areas.
Institution: FRA
FRA disseminated a number of legal and policy reports concerning arbitrary
detention, and statelessness in Lebanon. These newsletters were subsequently
used by refugees to defend their cases before the Lebanese courts.
Institution: Kafa
2010 Kafa disseminated the newsletter “Stop the exploitation of WMDWs in
Lebanon” in Amharic, Arabic, English, Nepalese, Tagalog, French, and
Sinhalese.
2011 Kafa convened a workshop for 6 community leaders on violence against
women.
Institution: Insan Association
2009 IA convened a conference with Minister of Labour Boutros Harb concerning
MDW legislation.
2012 IA convened conference with Minister of Labour Charbel Nahhas concerning
MDW legislation.
31
5 Beneficiaries
Intervening at various levels of the MDWs subfield requires NGOs to target a vari-
ety of beneficiaries. The majority of NGO initiatives target the children of migrant
workers (education), MDWs with legal problems (mediation, legal representation,
and counseling), MDWs with social needs (medical assistance, psychosocial coun-
seling, relief), and the employers of MDWs (awareness-raising). Fewer initiatives
target government (MoL, ISF, GDGS, and judiciary) and civil society institutions
(media, NGOs, lawyers). Even fewer initiatives target faculty in schools and univer-
sities. Here, it should be noted that workers unions are excluded from the dynamic
altogether. (Fig.3)
Figure 3. Beneficiaries of NGO initiatives
Lebanese Public @ Migrant Workers Institutions
Pastoral Care
Universities
Community
Social Care
Legal Care
Institution
Employers
Countries
ISF & GS
audience
Teachers
of Origin
Children
Lawyers
Schools
Leaders
SORAL
Judges
Online
Media
NGOs
MoL
PCAAM
MECC
CLMC
IWSAW
INSAN
AAI
KAFA
MWTF
FRA
Spring
of Life
CLDH
NEC
MCC
ARCL
ARM
DRC
VI
TOTAL 8 3 3 1 2 6 5 7 10 4 3 3 1 1 1 3 2 3
33
NGOs are encouraged to cooperate with relevant international organizations and
government agencies to address the major issues confronting migration policy makers
at national and international levels. Because of their extensive networks and access
to communities at the grassroots level, NGOs offer perspectives and evidence-based
research that can encourage as well as inform migration policy debate. Furthermore,
through their participation in international coordinating councils like Migrants Forum
in Asia (a network of migrant support and advocacy groups in countries of origin
and destination), NGOs are able to mobilize efforts in order to campaign for the
ratification of international conventions like C 189.
NGOs are also encouraged to invest in sensitizing faculty in schools and universities
to the rights of MDWs. By building the ability of faculty to integrate MDW relevant
issues in their classroom curricula, the sensitization process gains a life of its own
outside donor agendas and project lifecycles.
Finally, NGOs are expected to engage workers’ unions in the planning and
implementation of relevant programs and activities if only to emphasize the “worker”
in domestic workers. When unions become thoroughly informed about the working
and living conditions of domestic workers, their commitment to domestic workers’
issues during tripartite dialogues on migrant workers becomes more significant.
34
6 Geographical Mapping of NGO Services
The construction of Lebanon’s international highway after the end of the civil war
ignited the urbanization of villages and the economic development of remote cities.
Households began to recruit MDWs to encourage the participation of Lebanese
women in these emerging local economies. As a result, NGOs working with MDWs
have had to expand the reach of their services beyond the capital Beirut to cover these
new urban centers.
Three institutions were instrumental in achieving this shift. Owing to the PCAAM
network, pastoral care is now available to MDWs in the governorates of Mount
Lebanon, Beirut, Zahle, and Tripoli. Socio-medical assistance is available to MDWs
in the North, South, Bekaa, and Mount Lebanon through the long established socio-
medical centers of AAI and Caritas.
Whereas opportunities for MDW education abound in Beirut and the Greater Beirut
areas, NGOs are encouraged to expand the geographical reach of skills-building
classes and activities (languages, computer, and entrepreneurship) to support the
needs of MDWs in more remote parts of the country.
35
36
Figure 4. Geographical Coverage of NGO Services
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
Voice of Charity radio show Tapalog speaking migrant workers Sunday (FM 108.5 & 87.5) 8:30-8:50 PM
Voice of Charity radio show Ewe speaking migrant workers Sunday (FM 108.5 & 87.5) 8:00-8:30 PM
National
Voice of Charity radio show Amharic speaking migrant workers Sunday (FM 108.5 & 87.5) 9:00-9:30 PM
Voice of Charity radio show Sinhalese speaking migrant workers Sunday (FM 108.5 & 87.5) 8:45-9:00 PM
English and Arabic speaking Once a month with Fr. McDermott
Baabda prison church service
migrant workers and Mme. Gemayel
Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
English speaking migrant workers Every first Friday of the month at 16:00 PM
BAABDA church service
MECC Prison Ministry Baabda prison personnel Almost 3 Prison Ministry Workshops
Workshops (i.e., administrators, officers, guards) a year since 2005.
MOUNT
LEBANON For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
DEIR EL-KAMAR Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
- Clinics
- Pharmacy
Entertainment Services delivered in prisons Pastoral care Medical and psychological care
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
ANTELIAS Mar Elias Church service English speaking migrant workers Sunday at 11:00 AM with Fr. Theo Vlugt
- Food coupons, housing assistance and
subsistence allowances.
SID MECC Lady Dispensary 3000 Iraqi refugees and 700 migrant
- Free pap smear exams for a symbolic fee
EL-BAUCHRIEH (socio-medical center) workers every year
- Health awareness manuals in Arabic.
Translators available.
MANSOURIEH St. Therese Church service Tagalog speaking migrant workers Sunday at 10:00 AM with Fr. Advincula
MECC Prison Ministry Prison personnel (Administrators, Almost 3 Prison Ministry Workshops a year
ROUMIEH Workshops directors, officers, police, guards) since 2005.
MOUNT
LEBANON
Church of Our Lady of
JOUNIEH English speaking migrant workers Sunday at noon with Fr. Lingot
Bzommar service
St. Joseph Convent service, Every second Sunday at 09:00 AM with
AINTOURA Amharic speaking migrant workers
College St. Joseph Fr. Younas Mesfin Desta
Antonine Fathers Convent of Every first Wednesday of the month
English speaking migrant workers
St. John the Baptist service at 03:30 PM
For a symbolic fee:
AJALTOUN - Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
- Clinics
- Pharmacy
Services delivered in prisons Pastoral care Medical and psychological care
37
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
38
Capacity to host at least 50 women
RAYFOUN CLMC Shelter Shelter, skills (handcraft program)
migrant workers
St. George (small church) On Sundays at 5:00 PM, and on the first
MOUNT English speaking migrant workers
church service Saturday of the month with Fr. Vlugt
LEBANON
For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
SARBA
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
- Clinics
- Pharmacy
CLMC, Laksetha Center church English speaking migrant workers Sunday at 09:00 AM with Father Rayappen
service (mostly from Sri Lanka) Simon.
DORA
50 women migrant workers at - Shelter for runaway migrant workers
CLMC Shelter
one time - Skills building and handcraft programs.
BEIRUT
AND BEIRUT
1,500 migrant workers from Sri Lanka, Various church services, for migrant workers
GREATER Life Center church services Nigeria, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Ghana, from different nationalities, are held all day
AREA and the Philippines Sunday.
Spring of Life Distribution Distribution of food, clothing, and medical
NABAA Center supplies.
Daily mentoring, tutoring, and training of
Street children, including children of
Spring of Life Children Center 200 children (ages 5-13) from 7:30 AM to
migrant workers (mostly Syrian)
13:00.
Shelters Pastoral care Medical and psychological care Distributuion centers Skills for migrant workers and their children
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
Free medical services and referrals to
Serves 70 Lebanese citizens and
Spring of Life Medical Clinic medical specialists who are willing to forgo
migrant workers every day.
the cost of the medical procedures.
Often used to conduct awareness
NABAA Spring of Life Conference Center Can accommodate an audience of 500
sessions for migrant workers.
- A well-equipped common space where
Migrant Community Center migrant workers can meet.
500 migrant workers - Offers classes on online activism,
(ARM initiative)
self-defense, computer skills, languages,
drawing, cooking…
- Preparatory school (individual tutoring
BEIRUT plans in English and Math);
AND BEIRUT - Students who are not receptive to the
GREATER traditional academic training are
encouraged to apply to professional/
AREA
vocational programs;
Insan Association Children of migrant workers, refugees, - In 2006, the ISP began integrating
Insan School Project (ISP) and underprivileged Lebanese. students into the traditional school
system (partner school in Dekwaneh);
- Insan arranges for student transporta-
tion from and to southern, northern,
and eastern suburbs of Beirut; and
- Insan covers the cost of school
uniforms.
SIN EL FIL
Insan evening school for adult
30 students/day Daily evening classes.
migrant workers
Mediation between employers and
Insan Association Legal Clinic Migrant workers
migrant workers.
Insan Association Families of migrant workers and
Individual counseling and group therapy.
Psychosocial Counseling refugees in the region.
39
Medical and psychological care Entertainment Skills for migrant workers and their children Legal services
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
40
For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
SIN EL FIL - Clinics
- Pharmacy
Almost 10,000 migrant workers Free consultations and representation
CLMC – Legal Assistance
since 1994. in courts.
For a symbolic fee, ARC delivers everything
50% of beneficiaries are migrant
BOURJ HAMMOUD ARCL socio-medical center from first aid care to in depth medical
workers
services, including dental care.
BEIRUT Counseling and shelter referrals to
KAFA Listening and Counseling Lebanese and non-Lebanese women
AND BEIRUT BADARO MDWs who are victims of physical and
Center (LCC) and children
GREATER sexual abuse.
AREA
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
BURJ EL AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
BARAJNEH Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
HAY EL SELLOM Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
Medical and psychological care Legal services
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
MUCHARRAFIEH Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
Development Centers
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
St. Joseph Church service, Every Sunday at 10:30, with Fr. Martin
English speaking migrant workers
Tabaris McDermott.
BEIRUT
The Children of Mary and The Confraternity
AND BEIRUT
of the Sacred Heart meet the first
GREATER St. Joseph Church service, Sundayof every month for Holy Hour and
English speaking migrant workers
AREA Tabaris Bible sharing after the church service;
with Fr. McDermott.
St. Joseph Church service,
English speaking migrant workers Once a year prayer rally with Fr. McDermott
Tabaris
The local chapter of Couples For Christ
ASHRAFIEH (a family ministry) meets every Sunday after
St. Joseph Church service,
English speaking migrant workers mass on the 2nd floor at noon. The unit
Tabaris
head is Jun Iriola, and the spiritual advisor
is Fr. McDermott.
Open table on Sunday after the Eucharistic
AAMC Afro-Asian migrants
celebration.
Simple Arabic and French courses on
AAMC Afro-Asian migrants
Sunday afternoons with Seba Seba.
Basic Health courses on Sunday afternoons
AAMC Afro-Asian migrants with Dr. Joseph Hatem and Nurse Eppie
Ballouz.
41
Medical and psychological care Pastoral care Skills for migrant workers and their children
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
42
Group birthday celebrations (baptismal,
AAMC Afro-Asian migrants first communions, and weddings) any day
of the week.
Chapel of the Lazarists Saturday at 17:30 PM with
ASHRAFIEH Tagalog speaking migrant workers
church service Fr. Agustin Advincula.
Church service and Group Bible Study
Church of the Miraculous Medal
Tagalog speaking migrant workers on Sunday at 11:00 AM with Fr. Agustin
church service
Advincula.
St. Francis Church service English speaking migrant workers On Sundays.
El-Shaddai, Filipino charismatic group
40 members and other occasional
St. Francis Church service meets on Sunday after church services
participants
BEIRUT (12:00-17:00) with Fr. Salim Rizkallah.
AND BEIRUT
GREATER Sts. Peter and Paul Church
HAMRA Tagalog speaking migrant workers On Sunday at 12:30 PM.
AREA service
163 registered migrant workers.
They are men and women, mostly
- Language (English and French) and
MWTF Classes at the Zico House domestic workers, from:
computer classes every Sunday.
Sudan (53), Ethiopia (63), Eritrea (2),
- Language classes are divided into several
Sri Lanka (3), Burkina Faso (6), Ivory
levels: learning ABC, learning basic words,
MWTF classes at the Sudanese Coast (4), Cameroon (1), Madagascar
beginners, intermediate, and advanced
Cultural Center in Hamra (10), Senegal (2), South Sudan (1),
levels.
Iraq (1), Philippines (1), Syria (2), and,
Benin (2).
Once a month visitation with Fr. McDermott
VERDUN Verdun prison visitation Afro-Asian Migrant workers
and Mme Gemayel.
Entertainment Pastoral care Services delivered in prisons
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
Novena service to Our Lady of Perpetual
Church of the Miraculous Medal
Help on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM with
church service
Fr. Agustin.
DOWNTOWN
BEIRUT
NEC International Community English speaking congregants, Every Sunday at 10: 30 with Rev. Robert
Church including migrant workers Hamd.
The Philemon project works to relieve the
BEIRUT suffering of non-Arab migrants by building
AND BEIRUT National Evangelical Church 20 migrant workers a month
their skills (e.g., computer, artisan, entrepre-
Ministry of the Philemon Project (from Sudan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh,
GREATER neurship, education…), and providing them
(funding from MCC and MECC) Sri Lanka, and the Philippines).
AREA with the official papers required for their
legal residence.
In 2010, the project provided services The Philemon project works to relieve
National Evangelical Church to 100 family units from Sudan, the suffering of non-Arab migrants by
Ministry of the Philemon Project Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, addressing their basic needs
(funding from MCC and MECC) Nigeria, Eritrea, Iraq, Egypt, Congo, (e.g., food parcel distributions, provision
Somalia, and Lebanon. of small grants for hospitalization…),
St. Maroun Church service English speaking migrant workers Sunday mass at 11:00 AM ????
NORTHERN Once a month with Fr. McDermott and Mme
TRIPOLI Tripoli prison visitation Afro-Asian migrant workers
LEBANON Gemayel.
Prison personnel (administrators, Almost 3 Prison Ministry Workshops a year
MECC Prison Ministry Workshops
officers, police, guards) since 2005.
Pastoral care Entertainment Distributuion centers Services delivered in prisons
43
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
44
For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
TRIPOLI Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers
- Medical check-up by generalists
NORTHERN and/or specialists
LEBANON - Minor surgeries
DAHR AL-AIN Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
- Clinics
- Pharmacy
On the 2nd Sunday of the month
Sacré-Cœur Church service. English speaking migrant workers
at 11:00 AM with Fr. Michael Zammit.
St. François Convent Church Wednesday at 18:00 PM with
French speaking migrant workers
service Fr. Cesar Essayan
St. François Convent Church Arabic speaking migrant workers
Occasionally on Sundays at 12:00 PM.
service (Sudanese) - The Bakhita Group
BEKAA ZAHLE
Prison personnel (administrators, Almost 3 Prison Ministry Workshops a year
MECC Prison Ministry Workshops
officers, police, guards) since 2005.
For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
- Clinics
Medical and psychological care Pastoral care Services delivered in prisons - Pharmacy
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
- Education
- Reorientation towards vocational training
Lebanese and non-Lebanese Arabic
KHIRBET NEC-run Johann Ludwig of students who are not performing well
speaking children from KG to the 12th
KANAFAR Schneller Schule academically. At present there are four
grade.
main workshops: Carpentry, Maintenance,
General Mechanics and Car Mechanics.
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
SHMESTAR Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
BEKAA AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
KAMED EL LOZ Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
ERSAL Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
EL AIN Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
Skills for migrant workers and their children Medical and psychological care
45
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
46
Prison personnel (administrators, Almost 3 Prison Ministry Workshops a year
NABATIYEH MECC Prison Ministry Workshops
officers, police, guards) since 2005.
For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
SIDON Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
SOUTHERN - Clinics
LEBANON - Pharmacy
For a symbolic fee:
- Dental care
- Diagnosis
- Laboratory tests
- Medical check-up by generalists
Caritas Medical Center Lebanese citizens and migrant workers and/or specialists
- Minor surgeries
- Nursing care
- Ophthalmology
- Clinics
TYRE - Pharmacy
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
Services delivered in prisons Medical and psychological care
Governorate Village/City Service Beneficiaries Details
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
BAZOURIEH Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
KHIYAM Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
SOUTHERN
LEBANON
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
HALTA Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
For a symbolic fee:
- Clinics
AAI Healthcare, Social, and - Laboratory for medical analysis
FARDIS Lebanese and non-Lebanese patients
Development Centers - Specialty clinics (pediatric, cardiology,
women and obstetric, X-rays…)
- Physiotherapy Center
Medical and psychological care
47
7
Institutional Capacity & Networking
Diversifying interventions and targeting various beneficiaries across the nation requires
NGOs to contribute significant financial and human resources. If we discount the
4,000 part time volunteers at ARCL and the staff and volunteers operating the AAI
and Caritas medical centers, the overall human capacity of NGOs is reduced to a total
pool of 250 individuals. These individuals are volunteer, part-time, or full-time staffs
who work in various capacities (drivers, cooks, tutors, lawyers, psychologists, social
workers, researchers…) to plan and implement MDW-related initiatives in various
areas of the country. As such, the capacity of these institutions to operate at the
versatility level desired is very limited considering the growing population of MDWs
(150,000 - 220,000) and its corresponding needs. (Fig.5)
Limited NGO capacity is often compensated for through networking with other
institutions. For instance, NGOs cooperate with the embassies, consulates, and
governments of the countries of origin, with local government institutions, with
health providers, with locale providers, with international experts, and with other
NGOs in the subfield. Cooperation takes the form of coalitions (e.g., networks,
consortiums, steering committees, interagency groups…), membership in regional
or international fora, memorandums of understanding, and funding. Cooperation
develops for the purpose of event organizing, referral of legal and medical cases,
relief, the administration of skills and educational programs, and workshops. (Fig.6)
Figure 6 shows that NGO limitations in the areas of human and financial resources
and knowledge sharing are in fact “compensated for” through collaboration with other
entities. NGO collaboration is however limited to other NGOs operating in the same
subfield. By limiting cooperation to the subfield’s actors, NGOs are restricting the
capacity of the subfield to a predetermined quota of capacities and potentials where
resources are redistributed rather than created.
It is also worth noting that little, if any, cooperation exists between NGOs and
the business sector. This estrangement is unfortunate considering the potential of
nonprofit/for-profit partnerships in expanding the financial, technical, and human
resources that are currently available to NGOs. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
is one possible channel for furthering this type of cooperation. CSR initiatives are
internal or external in orientation. Internal CSR initiatives alter a business’ production
processes in order to control its potentially harmful social and environmental impacts.
Initiatives include ensuring better working conditions for employees or using eco-
friendly production processes or products. CSR initiatives with an external outlook,
like acts of philanthropy or technical knowhow transfer, contribute to the development
of communities within which these businesses are located. Businesses document the
positive impacts that they engender, within and outside the confines of their enterprise,
in what is often referred to as social responsibility reports. These reports are the
equivalent of a badge of respectability and, often, a source of increased profit for
the business issuing them. NGOs can build on this emerging CSR logic to encourage
49
Figure 5. Institutional Capacity of NGOs
AAI ARCL
N/A 4,000 part-time volunteers across Lebanon
ARM CLDH
15 to 20 members meet every Tuesday. 3 employees (legal and human
Larger numbers are expected during events and protests. rights experts)
CLMC FRA
110 staff members (including social workers 7 staff members (2 are legal counselors)
and lawyers) Networks with lawyers, journalists, and experts
Insan
28 staff members (1 legal officer; 3 social workers; 1 psychologist/child protection officer; 1 communica-
tions officer/campaigns coordinator; 1 fundraiser; 1 researcher/campaigns assistant; 8 teachers
and educators; 1 cook; 1 cleaner; 1 guard; 1 driver; 2 admin assistants; 1 technician; 1 part-time PR;
3 coordinators; 1 Executive Manager; 1 volunteer Director; 10 volunteers help with tutoring plans)
IWSAW Kafa
5 full time members 6 full time members (lawyer, program
6 students and research assistants coordinator, social workers, media officer)
Psychologists and legal experts (Consultants)
MECC MCC
N/A 1 country representative
MWTF NEC
30 volunteers (10 constitute the coordination team of MWTF; N/A
10 teach migrant workers at the Zico House on Sundays; 3
teach migrant workers at the MCC on Sundays)
PCAAM
1 President and Vice President of the Commission Episcopale pour la Cooperation Missionaire (CECM)
1 Coordinator / 8 priests / 4 sisters / 1 volunteer for the prison ministry / 3 volunteer lawyers / 1 volunteer
public relations officer / 1 Director of Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center
Spring
of Life
3-4 permanent staff working on spiritual guidance
8-9 volunteers administering language classes; distributing food; and, organizing events
50
Lebanese businesses to adopt codes of good behavior to normalize their interaction
with the migrant workers that they employ and to limit the occurrence of exploitative
working conditions to which this category of workers is often confronted. NGO may
also use the CSR logic to encourage businesses to regularly donate funds in order to
expand the reach of NGO referral mechanisms. Where businesses cannot allocate
funds, they can provide technical assistance to support NGO services. For example,
a medical company can help improve the efficiency of NGO health programmes for
MDWs and educational institutions can enhance NGO research management and
dissemination capabilities.
Finally, existing collaboration with organizations outside the subfield is limited to the
levels of philanthropy (e.g., donation of locales, free medical referrals…) and knowledge
sharing (e.g., international experts, advisory groups…). NGOs are encouraged to
institutionalize their partnerships with other entities through the development of joint
programs. These programs will grow beyond the conjectural nature of the referrals,
research initiatives, and workshops to guarantee the sustainability of the action and its
further fine-tuning.
Figure 6. Networking among NGOs
Collaborators Services
- CLMC DRC Consortium for the empowerment of WMDWs in Lebanon
- Insan Association (2012):
- ARM - Joint awareness raising campaign; and,
- Kafa - Referral mechanism for WMDWs
AAI
- Jordanian Women’s EU-funded project “Enhancing the Situation of Migrant Domestic
Union (JWU) Workers in Arab countries (2011-2013):
- Center for Egyptian - Protection, recovery, and repatriation of victims;
Women’s Legal - Awareness raising campaigns; and,
Assistance (CEWLA) - Development of a common legal framework in the three countries
Placed requests for ambulances to transport Philippine domestic
- Embassy of Philippines
ARCL workers (2004)
- MECC Health education sessions for WMDWs (2003)
- CLMC DRC Consortium for the empowerment of WMDWs in Lebanon
- Insan Association (2012):
ARM - AAI - Joint awareness raising campaign; and,
- Kafa - Referral mechanism for WMDWs
- CLMC
CLDH - Kafa
Referral of cases involving physically or sexually abused WMDWs
- PCAAM Pastoral, legal, and social care (1997)
A participatory policy dialogue platform that analyses and presents
- National Steering
solutions to the abuses faced by migrant domestic workers in the
Committee for WMDWs
country (2006)
CLMC
- Insan Association DRC Consortium for the empowerment of WMDWs in Lebanon
- ARM (2012):
- Kafa - Joint awareness raising campaign; and,
- AAI - Referral mechanism for WMDWs
51
Collaborators Services
MoU regarding migrant victims of trafficking and the
- General Security
administrative detention center
- MoL N/A
- MoSA N/A
- MoEHE N/A
- Embassy of the Philippines Memorandum of cooperation signed in 2010
- Consulate of Bangladesh MoU signed in 2011
- SORAL MoU signed in October 2010
- AAI Orientation sessions to migrant workers
CLMC
- Universities N/A
- Media N/A
- Pre-departure orientation sessions for migrants; and,
- Countries of origin - Rehabilitation/reintegration services for returning victims
of trafficking
- Network with GSO, ISF,
the Judicial Studies Institute, Intergovernmental agency working group
through SDC funds
- LAU and NEC Women’s day event
Integrating older students of the Insan School Project in
- Movement Social
vocational or technical programs
- Sagesse University Fourth year law students operating a legal clinic at Insan
IA
- Police stations Cases of arrests involving WMDWs
Counseling and group therapy for women at the embassy
- Embassy of the Philippines
shelter (2011)
- AAI Workshops to inform a regional strategy for WMDWs
Distribution of Kalam international phone cards during the
- CLMC Ecumenical Worship Service under the theme: “Women
SIWSAW Praying Together for the Well-being of their Families.”
- ILO Screening of documentary “Maid in Lebanon”
- Kafa Launching of studies about WMDWs in Lebanon
- Insan DRC Consortium for the empowerment of WMDWs in
- CLMC Lebanon (2012):
KAFA - ARM - Joint awareness raising campaign; and,
- AAI - Referral mechanism for WMDWs
- American Lebanese Language
Discounted rates for language classes for WMDWs
MCC Center
- NEC Continuation of English classes
- International Center for Migration
Prison ministry workshops
Policy Development
- Human Rights Institute Prison ministry workshops
- ISF Prison ministry workshops
- GS Prison ministry workshops
- EU/CARITAS/UNHCHR N/A
MECC - HRW Workshop for NGOs in Bourj Hammoud
- International Detention Coalition Members
- World Council of Churches Members
- Global Forum for Migration
Policy advocacy
and Development
- UNHCR’s governing executive
Policy advocacy
committee
52
Collaborators Services
In the process of signing a partnership agreement with
- Alt City Alt City to develop the media entrepreneurship of migrant
workers
- Migrant Community Center
Language and computer classes for migrant workers
- Zico House
(2011-2012)
- Sudanese Cultural Center
MWTF
- Development of directory identifying free or affordable
medical services for migrant workers
- LeMisc Scora
- Delivery of peer education sessions on sexual and
reproductive health for migrant workers
Organizing events on the occasion of the International
- Souk El Tayyeb
Workers Day
- Tahaddi Organization Medical referrals
NEC
- MECC and MCC Implementation of the Ministry of the Philemon Project
- NEC N/A
- CLMC Legal aid
- MECC N/A
PCAAM
A participatory policy dialogue platform that analyses and
- National Steering Committee
presents solutions to the abuses faced by migrant domestic
for WMDWs
workers in the country (2006)
- Mutual Faith Ministries Funding and events organizing
- Kafa Magazine development
Spring
Life Center sometimes offers its auditorium to Caritas in
of Life - Caritas
order to conduct awareness raising sessions for WMDWs
- Tahaddi organization Provision of medical services
53
8 Conclusion
The multiple exclusion of migrant workers along class, gender, and racial lines, as-
sociated with the absence of legal protections, is propitious for the exploitation of
WMDWs in Lebanon. Researchers and human rights institutions report a variety of
abuses to which domestic workers are being subjected across Lebanon; WMDWs suf-
fer from physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. Their wages, passports, and iden-
tity papers are withheld, and their freedom of movement restricted. In 2008, Human
Rights Watch denounced the high death toll of MDWs, stating that these women are
dying (murdered or driven to suicide) at a rate of more than one per week.(8)
For the past thirty years, FBOs have, independently from or in tandem with other
FBOs, offered these women workers social, medical, and legal assistance. Since the
national awareness raising workshop of 2005 and subsequent NSC sessions, the prob-
lems faced by WMDWs have attracted the attention of emerging NGOs who have
rushed to introduce new services to the MDW subfield.
By tracing the history of NGO involvement with MDWs since the 1980s and outlin-
ing the services provided to these women workers by type and by region, this exercise
has produced eight main observations that are likely to assist NGOs in fine-tuning
interventions, donors in reallocating funds, and the MoL in developing an efficient
national referral mechanism:
1. NGOs must be cautious to ensure proper sequencing and complementarity of
efforts between older and emerging initiatives.
2. Absent legal protections and national referral mechanisms, NGOs tend to allocate
much of their resources for the alleviation of migrant workers’ legal, social, and
medical problems. This service provision tendency must be complemented with
an investment on the preventive end of the MDW subfield. Effective prevention
requires NGOs to build on MDW realities and experiences to inform labour
migration management schemes, and policy advocacy strategies.
3. NGOs are encouraged to cooperate with relevant international organizations and
government agencies to address the major issues confronting migration policy
makers at national and international levels. Because of their extensive networks
and access to communities at the grassroots level, NGOs offer perspectives and
evidence-based research that can encourage as well as inform migration policy
debate. Furthermore, through their participation in international coordinating
councils like Migrants Forum in Asia (a network of migrant support and advocacy
groups in countries of origin and destination), NGOs are able to mobilize efforts
in order to campaign for the ratification of international conventions like C 189.
(8) Human Rights Watch. 2008. Lebanon: Migrant domestic workers dying every week, available at:
http://www.hrw.org/print/news/2008/08/24/lebanon-migrant-domest [accessed on June 05, 2012].
55
4. NGOs are encouraged to invest in sensitizing faculty in schools and universities to
the rights of MDWs. By building the ability of faculty to integrate MDW relevant
issues in their classroom curricula, the sensitization process gains a life of its own
outside donor agendas and project lifecycles.
5. Finally, NGOs are expected to engage workers’ unions in the planning and
implementation of relevant programs and activities if only to emphasize the
“worker” in domestic workers. When unions become thoroughly informed about
the working and living conditions of domestic workers, their commitment to
domestic workers’ issues during tripartite dialogues on migrant workers becomes
more significant.
6. Opportunities for MDW education abound in Beirut and the Greater Beirut
areas. NGOs are encouraged to expand the geographical reach of skills-building
classes and activities to help build the capacities (languages, computer, and
entrepreneurship) of MDWs in more remote parts of the country.
7. NGOs are encouraged to collaborate with the business sector. Nonprofit/for
profit partnerships open up the subfield to new entrants, to new resources, and
to new technologies. These partnerships also sensitize companies that employ
migrant workers, and employees who employ migrant workers, to the rights of
MDWs.
8. NGOs are encouraged to institutionalize their partnerships with other entities
through the development of joint programs. These programs will grow beyond the
conjectural nature of the referrals, research initiatives, and workshops to guarantee
the sustainability of the action and its further fine-tuning.
56
Directory of selected audio, visual,
and printed publications
57
A. Research
Abdulrahim, Sawsan. 2010. Servant, daughter, or employee? A pilot study on the attitudes
of Lebanese employers towards migrant domestic workers. Beirut: Kafa (Enough Violence &
Exploitation).
Abimourched, Rola. 2011. Migrant domestic workers in the Mashriq: Towards
a rights-based regulatory framework. CARIM Research Reports 2011/3, available
at: http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/18955/CARIM_RR_2011_03.
pdf ?sequence=1 [accessed on December 11, 2011].
Abu-Habib, Lina. 2010. The use and abuse of female domestic workers from Sri
Lanka in Lebanon. Gender and Development 6(1): 52-56.
Anti-Slavery International. 2006. Trafficking in women, forced labour and
domestic work in the context of the Middle East and Gulf region. Anti-Slavery
International Working Paper, available at:
http://www.antislavery.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2009/t/traffic_women_
forced_labour_domestic_2006.pdf [accessed on May 09, 2012].
Beydoun, Khaled Ali. 2006. The Trafficking of Ethiopian domestic workers
into Lebanon: Navigating through a novel passage of the international maid trade.
Berkeley Journal of International Law 24(3): 250-286.
Beyene, Joyet. 2004. Gender, migration and the household: The case of Ethiopian and
Eritrean migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. Paper presented at Whose Beirut? City
Debate Seminar Series, organized and hosted by the graduate program in Urban
Planning and Urban Design of the department of Architecture and Design at the
American University of Beirut, on May 11, 2011, available at:
http://webfea.fea.aub.edu.lb/proceedings/2004/SRC-ArD-03.pdf [accessed on
January 4th, 2012].
El-Solh, Camillia Fawzi. 2007. Assessment of migrant labour situation in
Lebanon: Case of women migrant domestic workers. Joint ILO-IOM report
[unpublished].
Esim, Simel, Manour Omeira, and Marie-Noelle Abiyaghi. 2010. The care,
migration, and employment nexus in Arab countries. Paper presented during the Annual
Conference of the International Association for Feminist Economics, July 22-24,
2012.
Frontiers Ruwad Association. 2012. Immigration detention in Lebanon. Submitted to
the UN Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants during the 20th session of
the Human Rights Council, January 2012.
58
Frontiers Ruwad Association. 2010. Human rights of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants,
and stateless in Lebanon. Submitted on the occasion of the ninth session of the
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) 2010 Lebanon, 12 April 2010, available at:
http://www.frontiersruwad.org/pdf/Frontiers%20Association%20-%20
Migrants%20Rights%20-%20UPR%20Submission%20-%20Lebanon%20April%20
2010.pdf [accessed on January 5, 2012].
Hamill, Kathleen. 2011. Trafficking of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon: A legal
analysis. Beirut: Kafa (enough) Violence & Exploitation.
Hamill, Kathleen. 2012. Policy paper on reforming the “Sponsorship System” for migrant
domestic workers: Towards an alternative governance scheme in Lebanon. Beirut: Kafa (enough)
Violence & Exploitation.
Human Rights Watch. 2007. Exported and exposed: Abuses against Sri Lankan domestic
workers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. New York:
Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch. 2008. Lebanon: Migrant domestic workers dying every
week, available at: http://www.hrw.org/print/news/2008/08/24/lebanon-migrant-
domest [accessed on June 05, 2012].
Human Rights Watch. 2010. Without protection: How the Lebanese justice system
fails migrant domestic workers, available at:
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2010/09/16/without-protection-0 [accessed on
February 11, 2012].
Human Rights Watch. 2010. Slow reform: Protection of migrant domestic workers in Asia
and the Middle East. New York: Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch. 2012. Deaths of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon
(Annex). Available at: http://www.hrw.org/pub/2008/women/Lebanon.MDW.
Annex.082608.pdf [accessed on May 8, 2012].
Jureidini, Ray. 2002. Women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. International
Migration Papers 48. ILO: Geneva.
Jureidini, Ray. 2003. Migrant workers and xenophobia in the Middle East. Identities,
Conflict and Cohesion Paper Number 2, United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development.
Jureidini, Ray, and Nayla Moukarbel. 2004. Female Sri Lankan domestic workers in
Lebanon: A case of “Contract Slavery”? Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 30(4):
581-607.
Jureidini, Ray. 2004. Women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. In Gender
and migration in the Arab states: The case of domestic workers, edited by Esim,
Simel, and Monica Smith, 63-82, Beirut: International Labour Organization Regional
Office for Arab States.
59
Jureidni, Ray. 2006. Sexuality and the servant: An exploration of Arab images of
the sexuality of domestic maids living in the household. In Sexuality in the Arab world,
edited by Khalaf, Samir, and John Gagnon, 130-151, London, California, and Beirut:
SAQI.
Jureidini, Ray. 2009. In the shadows of family life: Toward a history of domestic
service. Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies 5(3): 74-100.
Jureidini, Ray. 2010. Trafficking and contract migrant workers in the Middle East.
International Migration 48(4): 142-163.
Jureidini, Ray. 2011. An Exploratory study of psychoanalytic and social factors in the abuse
of migrant domestic workers by female employers in Lebanon. Beirut: Kafa (enough) Violence
& Exploitation.
Kerbage, Carole, and Simel Esim. 2011. The situation of migrant domestic workers in
Arab states: A legislative overview. Paper presented at the Interregional Workshop on
Strengthening Dialogue to Make Migration Work for Development in the ESCAP
and ESCWA regions, 28-30 June 2011, Beirut [unpublished].
McDermott, Martin J. 2011. Afro –Asian Migrants in Lebanon. Report of the
Committee on Pastoral Care of Afro-Asian Migrant Workers (PCAAM) to its
President Bishop Elias Nassar, November 2011, Beirut.
Moukarbel, Nayla. 2009. Sri Lankan housemaids in Lebanon: A case of ‘symbolic violence’
and ‘Everyday forms of resistance.’ Amsterdam: IMISCOE Dissertations, Amsterdam
University Press.
Nassar, Anita Farah. 2011. Manual for working with women prisoners. Beirut: IWSAW,
LAU.
Hope, Kristen et al. 2010. A child protection assessment: Migrant workers and their children
in Lebanon. Beirut: Insan Association and Terre des Hommes.
Rozelier, Muriel. 2011. L’emploi domestique explose au Liban. Le Commerce du
Levant (Juillet 2001) : 92-105.
Russeau, Simba Shani Kamaria. 2011. Culture of racism in Lebanon. Beirut:
Coordination Committee of the Organizations for Voluntary Service (COSV).
Sugita, Seiko. 2010. Social care and women’s labor participation in Lebanon. Al-
Raida 128(Winter): 31-37.
Sugita, Seiko, Simel Esim, and Mansour Omeira. 2009. Caring is work: Meeting
social care needs in Lebanon. Paper presented during the 19th Mediterranean Research
Meeting, Florence & Montecatini Terme 25-28 March, 2009.
Tayah, Marie-José L. 2012. Working with migrant domestic workers: A mapping of NGO
services (1980s-2012). Beirut: ILO-ROAS.
60
United Nations Development Program. 2008. HIV vulnerabilities faced by women
migrants: From Asia to the Arab States. Colombo, Sri Lanka: UNDP Regional Center.
Varia, Nisha. 2011. “Sweeping changes?” A review of recent reforms on
protections for migrant domestic workers in Asia and the Middle East. Canadian
Journal of Women and the Law 23 (1): 265-287.
Voices International. 2011. A framework for Lebanese government engagement.
Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon Policy Tool. Beirut: Voices International.
(English+Arabic).
Voices International. 2011. “I came here for work” Calls for better protection of
migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. Beirut: Voices International. (English).
Young, Michael. 1999. Migrant workers in Lebanon. Lebanon NGO Forum,
available at: Available at http://www.lnf.org.lb/migrationnetwork/mig1.html
[Accessed on November 11, 2011].
B. Books
Zahed, Leyla, and Maya Tawil. 2009. Mimi and the magic globe series: Mimi in
Ethiopia. Beirut: Turning Point. (Arabic).
Zahed, Leyla, and Maya Tawil. 2009. Mimi and the magic globe series: Mimi in Sri
Lanka. Beirut: Turning Point. (Arabic).
Zahed, Leyla, and Maya Tawil. 2009. Mimi and the magic globe series: Mimi in the
Philippines. Beirut: Turning Point. (Arabic).
Zahed, Leyla, and Maya Tawil. 2012. Adam around the globe Series: Adam in
Nepal. Beirut: ILO. (Arabic).
Zahed, Leyla, and Maya Tawil. 2012. Adam around the globe Series: Adam in
Bangladesh. Beirut: ILO. (Arabic).
Zahed, Leyla, and Maya Tawil. 2012. Adam around the globe Series: Adam in
Madagascar. Beirut: ILO. (Arabic).
Middle East Council of Churches. 2006. Back to God’s paradise. Beirut: Diakonia
and Social Justice, MECC (English).
Middle East Council of Churches. 2007. For the last teardrop. Beirut: Diakonia and
Social Justice, MECC (English).
Middle East Council of Churches. 2010. Beyond silence: A child’s world. Beirut:
Diakonia and Social Justice, MECC (Arabic + English).
61
C. Guides
Caritas Lebanon Migrants Center. 2010. Migrant worker’s rights and obligations booklet
in Lebanon: Knowing my rights is an obligation. Beirut: CMLC.
Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World. 2011. Awareness Guide for
Female Domestic Workers in Lebanon – What Should I Know? Beirut: Lebanese American
University. (English, Amharic, Nepali, and Sinhala).
Lebanon Ministry of Labour and the International Labour Organization.
2009. Information Guide for Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon. Beirut: ILO-ROAS.
(English, Amharic, Nepali, Sinhala, French, Arabic, Tagalog, Bengla, Tamil,
Malagasy). (Drafted in the context of the National Steering Committee on Women Migrant
Domestic Workers’ Technical Working Group for developing a booklet on the rights and duties of
women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon).
D. Meetings/Workshop Reports
International Labor Organization. 2005. Awareness Raising Workshop on the
Situation of Women Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon. Beirut: ILO.
Caritas Lebanon Migrants Center. 2009. Day of general discussion on migrant
domestic workers, Committee on Migrant Workers, October 14, 2009, available at:
www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cmw/docs/DGD/CaritasLebanon.doc[accessed
on May 8, 2012].
Open Society Institute Arab Regional Office. 2009. Strategy meeting: Migrant
workers’ rights in Lebanon and Jordan (Summary Report). Kempinski Hotel, Dead
Sea, Jordan, May 20-21, 2012, available at: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/arab-
regional-office/articles_publications/publications/migrant-workers-20090531
[accessed on May 9, 2012]. (Arabic and English).
E. Trainings Reports
Middle East Council of Churches. 2010. Proceedings of prison ministry workshops.
Beirut: Diakonia and Social Justice Unit, MECC. (Arabic and English).
Middle East Council of Churches. 2008. Proceedings of prison ministry workshops.
Beirut: Diakonia and Social Justice Unit, MECC. (Arabic and English).
62
F. Fact Sheets and Policy Briefs
International Labour Organization. 2008. Issue Brief 1 – Promoting the Rights
of Women Migrant Domestic Workers in Arab States: The case of Lebanon. ILO Regional
Office for Arab States: Beirut. (English and Arabic).
International Labour Organization. 2010. Action Brief on Migrant Domestic Workers
in Lebanon. Regional Office for Arab States, Beirut. (English and Arabic).
International Labour Organization. Revised 2010. Frequently Asked Questions about
Live-In Domestic Workers in Lebanon. ILO Regional Office for Arab States: Beirut.
(English and Arabic).
International Labour Organization. November 2010. Statement of Trade Unions in
Arab Countries - Promoting Decent Work for Domestic Workers. Regional Office for Arab
States: Beirut. (English and Arabic).
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Migrant Workers Task Force: Student profile,
available at: http://mwTask Force.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/student-profile-
adam.pdf [accessed on May 14, 2012].
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Migrant Workers Task Force: The 4th UNAOC
Forum in Doha, available at: http://mwTask Force.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/
unaoc-forum.pdf [accessed on May 14, 2012].
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Migrant Workers Task Force: International Workers’
Day in Beirut 2011, available at: http://mwTaskForce.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/
international-workers-day-2011.pdf [accessed on May 14, 2012].
Voices International. 2011. Pre-departure/sending country recruitment agents.
Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon Info Note 1. Beirut: Voices International.
Voices International. 2011. Arrival/Lebanese recruitment agents. Migrant Domestic
Workers in Lebanon Info Note 2. Beirut: Voices International.
Voices International. 2011. Workers’ rights. Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon Info
Note 3. Beirut: Voices International.
Voices International. 2011. The Kafala system and the MDW. Migrant Domestic
Workers in Lebanon Info Note 4. Beirut: Voices International.
Voices International. 2011. What we need when we are in trouble. Migrant Domestic
Workers in Lebanon Info Note 5. Beirut: Voices International.
63
G. Newsletters
Kafa (Enough) Violence & Exploitation. 2010. No to the exploitation of
WMDWs in Lebanon Newletter. Beirut: Kafa (published in Amharic, Arabic,
English, Nepalese, Tagalog, French, and Sinhalese).
PCAAM quarterly bulletin “Solidarity” published in French and Arabic (currently
disrupted). Proper citation not available.
Frontiers Ruwad Association legal and policy reports on arbitrary detention,
statelessness in Lebanon. Proper citation not available.
Frontier Ruwad newsletter “Abwab Mughlaka” used by refugees to defend their
cases before the Lebanese courts. Proper citation not available.
CLMC newsletter under distribution at the DGGS administrative detention centers.
The newsletters are developed by migrant workers in detention. Proper citation not
available.
H. Videos
Pastoral Committee for Afro-Asian Migrants. 2006. Afro-Asian Migrants Day
Lebanon. Beirut: Lebanon. (20 minute documentary filmed by Tina Naccache,
PCAAM).
Tele Lumiere. 2006. Harissa and Bkerke Migrants Day Lebanon May 21, 2006.
Beirut: Tele Lumiere. (Event broadcasted by Tele Lumiere).
Al-Joundi, Dima. 2006. Bonne à vendre (Maid for Sale). Marseille, France: Les Films
du Soleil, Crystal Films Panache Productions. (Original Language(s): Sinhala/
French/English/Arabic; Subtitles: French/English; Duration: 53 minutes).
LBC Group. 2012. Violence against domestic workers (footage of abuse against
Ethiopian domestic worker Amel in front of the Ethiopian Consulate), LBC Group,
March 08, 2012, available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBf_-QKp6pw
[accessed on May 14, 2012] - (Arabic; Duration: 01:16).
Mansour, Carole. 2005. Maid in Lebanon 1. Beirut: Forward Film Productions.
(Arabic and English; Duration: 25.23 min).
Mansour, Carole. 2005. Maid in Lebanon 2. Beirut: Forward Film Productions.
(Arabic and English; Duration: 37.59 min).
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2012. Human rights and health in Lebanon, available
at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVLRIhph2ek&feature=autoplay&list=UU
xg3zG8P6txk7aOw-JCzBBg&lf=plcp&playnext=1 [prepared by Rahel Zegeye and
Ibrahim Diab] – [English and Arabic].
64
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2012. Welcome to Lebanon “Shopping Paradise,”
available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd3hPy98Rdk&list=UUxg3zG8P6txk7aOw-
JCzBBg&index=1&feature=plcp [prepared by Jowe Harfouche] - [English and
Arabic].
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Welcome to Lebanon “Sea & Sun,” available
at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqB4LPjEyu4&list=UUxg3zG8P6txk7aOw-
JCzBBg&index=6&feature=plcp [prepared by Jowe Harfouche] - [English and
Arabic].
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Welcome to Lebanon “Making Memories,”
available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nQGLB2N3UY&feature=autoplay&list=UU
xg3zG8P6txk7aOw-JCzBBg&lf=plcp&playnext=1 [prepared by Jowe Harfouche] -
[English and Arabic].
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Resist harassment, available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvpsUq8mpGg&list=UUxg3zG8P6txk7aOw-
JCzBBg&index=8&feature=plcp [prepared by Rehanna Minooei] - [English and
Arabic].
Migrant Workers Task Force. 2011. Nelly Speaks Out on Sexual Violence in
Lebanon for Labour Day, available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUyxRZoXKIU&list=UUxg3zG8P6txk7aOw-
JCzBBg&index=10&feature=plcp [English subtitles].
Pattison, Pete. 2012. Beirut death of Nepalese migrant worker Lila. The Guardian,
Monday January 30, 2012, available at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/video/2012/jan/30/beirut-death-nepalese-
migrant-video [accessed on May 14, 2012] (English and Nepali; Duration: 09.09
minutes).
Russeau, Simba Shani Kamaria. 2009. The new slavery: The plight of Lebanon’s
domestic workers, available at:
http://www.imow.org/community/stories/viewstory?storyid=3133 [English/audio
only].
Zageye, Rahel. 2012. Beirut (Self-production).
I. Photos
KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation and Danish Refugee Council. 2010.
Unseen lives: Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, available at:
http://www.kafa.org.lb/News.aspx?Newscode=6
65
J. TV/Radio Campaigns
Campaign name: Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you
Objectives: stressing the rights of MDWs to a sick leave, to the freedom of
movement and to fair, timely, and continuous remuneration
Institution: 2007 EU-Funded CARITAS campaign for the protection of WMDWs
Media: 1 full TV spot (52 seconds); Series of 4 short TV spots (17 seconds)
Campaign name: Treat fairly to be served kindly
Objectives: Describe the working conditions of WMDWs in Lebanon
Institution: 2010 EU-Funded CARITAS campaign for the protection of WMDWs
Media: TV advertisement in Arabic (41 seconds); Radio spot in French, English,
and Arabic (35 seconds)
Campaign name: Read before you sign
Objectives: raising awareness to the standard unified contract
Institution: 2011 EU-funded CARITAS campaign for the protection of WMDWs
Media: TV advertisement in Arabic (38 seconds)
Campaign name: Do not push her to commit your crimes: Towards legal protection
for migrant domestic workers
Objectives: denouncing the responsibility of employer (abuses) for MDW incidents
of suicide
Institution: 2011 Kafa (Enough Violence & Exploitation) campaign
Medium: TV advertisement in Arabic (33 seconds), available at:
http://www.kafa.org.lb/Videos.aspx?code=14
K. Poster Campaigns
INSAN Association
More than 200 000 migrant domestic workers are living in our country. These
migrants and their children are deprived of the most basic human rights and in many
cases suffer from abuse, exploitation and discrimination.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights (Extract of
Article 1 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
If we believe in human rights, we must support an adequate law for migrant
domestic workers in Lebanon. Not just any law, a JUST law based on the universal
principles of human rights …Much more needs to be done. (English and Arabic).
More than 200 000 migrant domestic workers are living in our country. These
migrants and their children are deprived of the most basic human rights and in many
cases suffer from abuse, exploitation and discrimination.
Everyone has the right to education (Extract of Article 26 – Universal
Declaration of Human Rights)
If we believe in human rights, we must support an adequate law for migrant
66
domestic workers in Lebanon. Not just any law, a JUST law based on the universal
principles of human rights …Much more needs to be done. (English and Arabic).
More than 200 000 migrant domestic workers are living in our country. These
migrants and their children are deprived of the most basic human rights and in many
cases suffer from abuse, exploitation and discrimination.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude (Extract of Article 4 – Universal
Declaration of Human Rights)
If we believe in human rights, we must support an adequate law for migrant
domestic workers in Lebanon. Not just any law, a JUST law based on the universal
principles of human rights …Much more needs to be done. (English and Arabic).
MWTF
He is not worth a penny, he is worth gold.
Alaa provides for his family’s food and shelter. The money he sends home allows his
brothers and sisters to go to school. He, like many others, contributes massively to
his country’s national economy and helps it move forward.
You see a poor man but he is a source of wealth.
He does nothing… without passion
That is why Anas is so interested in politics. From Sudan, he came to Lebanon to
study political sciences. You may think he is only capble of working with his hands
but his head is committed to political issues. You may think that he is as unskilled as
his labor, but his work exceeds the lifting of goods in a shop.
He may not be somebody to you, but he sure is someone to many.
For more posters, please visit: Migrant Workers Task Force (MWTF). 2012.
Antiracism poster campaign: http://mwTask Force.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/
antiracism-poster-campaign-for-labour-day-2011/
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch. Have you ever been called a donkey? Put yourself in her shoes
Human Rights Watch. Do you consider a Sunday spent with your boss a day off ? Put
yourself in her shoes
Human Rights Watch. Have you ever worked for months without pay? Put yourself
in her shoes
Human Rights Watch. Have you ever been punished for breaking a plate? Put
yourself in her shoes
Human Rights Watch. Have you ever been denied food when you are hungry? Put
yourself in her shoes
Human Rights Watch. Have you ever been forced to sleep in the Kitchen? Put
yourself in her shoes
67
CARITAS
Together fight against violation of human rights
Different but equal. “All human beings are born free and in dignity and rights”
(Article 1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
Right for food and clothing
Right to keep and renew legal papers annually
Different but equal
Decent work for domestic workers
International Labour Organization Convention 189
Together fight against trafficking in human beings
حرية العامل االجنبي م�ش ملكك
االن�سان ان�سان لو مني ما كان
Migrants rights are human rights
Would you accept being worked while sick ?
Treat foreigners as you’d like to be treated / Human regardless of race and status
Would you tolerate being exploited around the clock ?
Treat foreigners as you’d like to be treated / Human regardless of race and status
Would you tolerate being exploited 7 days a week?
Treat foreigners as you’d like to be treated / Human regardless of race and status
Would you tolerate someone hitting you or mistreating you?
Treat foreigners as you’d like to be treated / Human regardless of race and status
Equality before the law
Voluntary return to the home country
Protection from exploitation, violence, and sexual harrassement
Not for sale
Domestic work is work
Domestic workers are workers
Domestic work is not slavery
Right to a clear employment contract in own language, to safe working conditions, to
be paid at the end of each month
For the well being of all human beings
Right to health care and communication with the family
Together fight for human dignity
68
KAFA (Enough) Violence and Exploitation
ال تدفعوها الرتكاب جرميتكم
نحو حماية قانونية لعامالت املنازل يف لبنان
- الوقائع
- غياب احلماية القانونية
- منوزج عن ق�ص�ص وردت يف االعالم
- منظمة كفى عنف وا�ستغالل
L. Brochures
Caritas Lebanon Migrants Center. We Care, available in Tagalog, Sinhalese,
Bengali, Nepalese, Amharic, Romanian, French, Russian, Arabic, and English. The
brochure asks questions to migrant workers in their language to elicit whether
they have been victims of trafficking and suggests a number of services to these
migrants.
ARCL issued, with Nestle, a brochure for pregnant women. The brochure is
available in Arabic and often explained to pregnant women migrant domestic
workers who visit the center.
M. Other
Middle East Council of Churches. 2012. Migration and denied rights Calendar
2012. Beirut: Diakonia and Social Justice Unit, MECC.
Kafa (Enough violence & Exploitation). 2010. No to the exploitation of
WMDWs in Lebanon: Postcards addressed to the Minister of Labour Boutros Harb.
Beirut: Kafa (Enough Violence & Exploitation).
69
List of Interviewees
71
Father Martin McDermott
Coordinator, Pastoral Care for Afro-Asian Migrants (PCAAM)
Address: St. Joseph Church, Tabaris, Beirut 1100 2150 Lebanon
Tel: 961.1.200458 (ext. 1505; 4702)
Fax: 961.1.217554
Website: http://migrantcenter.org
Ms. Seta Hadeshian
Director, Diakonia and Social Justice Units (previously Life and Service), The Middle East
Council of Churches (MECC)
Address: Makhoul Street, Deeb Building, Beirut, Lebanon: P.O.Box 5376
Tel: 961.1.353958/961.1.344896
E-mail: meccls@cyberia.net.lb
Website: http://www.mec-churches.org/
Rev. Robert Hamd
Pastor of the International Community Church, the English speaking congregation of the
National Evangelical Church of Beirut (NEC)
Address: Evangelical Church Street, Riad El Solh, P.O.Box 11-5224, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: 961.1.980051/2
Fax: 961.1.980050
E-mail: nec.beirut@t-net.com.lb
Website: www.nechurchbeirut.org
Pastor Said Deeb
Pastor, Spring of Life, Church of God in Mansourieh
Address: Nabaa - Bourj Hammoud
Tel: 961.1.244844
Website: http://www.middleeastlifecenter.org ; www.cog-m.org ; www.sol-kids.com
Ms. Sarah Adams
Representative of Mennonite Central Committee, Beirut, Lebanon
E-mail: mccrep@lebanon.mcc.org
Website: www.lebanon.mcc.org
Ms. Najla Tabet Chahda
Director, Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center (CLMC)
Address: Sin El Fil, Charles Helou Blvd, Takla Ctr., P.O.Box: 40061
Tel: 961.1.502554 (ext. 102)
Website: http://www.caritas.org/activities/women_migration/LebanonMigrationCenter.html
Ms. Zeina Mohanna
Project Coordinator, WMDW project , AAI Association Internation
Address: AAI Bldg, Abou-Chakra street, Mousseitbeh, Beirut – Lebanon, P.O.Box 14-5561 Chouran
Tel: 961.1.863034
Website: www.AAI.org.lb
72
Ms. Carole Khater
Junior Program Officer, Institute for Women’ Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW)
Address: P.O.Box: 13-5053, Chouran Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon, Lebanese American University
Tel: 961.1.786456 (ext. 1259)
Website: http://www.lau.edu.lb/
Ms. Marie Daunay
President, Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)
Address: Dora, St. Joseph Hospital Str., St. Joseph Center, 12th Floor Metn - Lebanon
Tel: 961.1.240023
Website: www.solida.org
Ms. Samira Trad
Frontiers Ruwad Association
Address: Badaro Street, Fawaz Building, 7th Floor, Beirut, Lebanon
Tel/Fax: 961.1.383556
E-mail: frontierscenter@fastmail.fm
Website: www.frontiersruwad.org
Ms. Lala Arabian
Executive manager/protection coordinator, Insan Association
Address: Sin el Fil, Sector 1, Street 88
Tel: 961.1.485237
Website: www.insan.lb
Ms. Rola Abimourched
WMDW program coordinator, KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation
Address: KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation, 43 Badaro St. Beydoun Bldg. First floor,
P.O. Box: 116-5042
Tel: 961.1.392220 / 961.1.381245 / Helpline: 961.76.090910
Fax: 961.1.392220
E-mail: kafa@kafa.org.lb
Website: www.kafa.org.lb
Ms. Sossy Sagherian
Director of Armenian Relief Cross Lebanon (ARCL) - Boulghourdjian Socio-Medical Center’s
Address: Bourj Hammoud, Assaf Khoury Street, Lebanon
Tel: 961.1.253796
E-mail: arcl-absmc@hotmail.com
Ms. Abeer Mezher
Project Manager, Danish Refugee Council
Address: Aresco Center, 5th Floor, Justinian Str., Hamra, Beirut.
Tel: 961-1-736987/738289
Fax: 961-1-736987
E-mail: drclebanon@cyberia.net.lb
Website: www.drc.dk
73
Ms. Janie Shen
Coordinator of the activities of the Migrant Workers Task Force - MWTF
E-mail: mwtaskforce.lb@gmail.com
Website: http://mwtaskforce.wordpress.com
Mr. Ali Fakhry
Activist, Anti Racism Movement (ARM)
Ms. Farah Salka
Coordinator, Anti Racism Movement (ARM)
Address: Nasawiya House, Mar Mikhael, Beirut, Lebanon
Website: antiracismmovement.blogspot.com
Ms. Catherine Osborn
Director, Voices International
E-mail: cosborn@voicesinternational.org.au
Website: www.voicesinternational.org.au
74
Survey Instrument
75
1. Contact Details
1.1. Information about the organization:
Name of the organization:
Address:
Telephone: Fax:
Email: Website:
Mission of the organization:
Main activities:
Direct beneficiaries:
Number of employees:
Total number of employees/members working on activities related to WMDWs:
Breakdown of employees/members working on activities related to WMDWs by occupation category
(e.g., 5* social workers, 2* legal aid, 2*managers, 1*researcher, 1*administrative assistant, intern, volunteer…)
1.2. Information about the person completing the questionnaire:
Name: Title:
Telephone: Email:
Working in this organization since:
1.3. Information about all the staff/members in charge of activities related to WMDWs:
Name: Title:
Telephone: Email:
Working in this organization since:
Name: Title:
Telephone: Email:
Working in this organization since:
Name: Title:
Telephone: Email:
Working in this organization since:
Name: Title:
Telephone: Email:
Working in this organization since:
Name: Title:
Telephone: Email:
Working in this organization since:
76
2. Your Work with WMDWs
2.1. Does your organization provide services to WMDWs (e.g., legal, medical, skills training,
shelter…)?
Yes No (If No, please skip question 2.2.)
2.2. Please use Table A to identify the type(s) of services that your organization provides
to WMDWs, indicating the name of the program under which these services are offered
(if applicable), the duration of service-delivery, general information about service-delivery,
funding sources, and a guesstimate of the number of WMDWs who benefit from these
services.
2.3. Has your organization initiated activities to raise awareness to the rights and/or
conditions of WMDWs in Lebanon?
Yes No (If No, please skip question 2.4.)
2.4. Please use Table B to:
• describe the awareness raising activity
• identify the objective(s) of the awareness raising activity
• state the name used to refer to the awareness-raising activity
• identify the communication tool(s) used to spread the awareness-raising messages and their number
or frequency
• specify the duration of the activity
• specify the estimated number of individuals or organizations reached through the activity
• specify the geographical location of these individuals or organizations
• list funding sources for the activity
2.5. Has your organization approached or worked with government agencies, including the
legislative and the judiciary branches, to improve the conditions of WMDWs (e.g., policy
advice; shared facilities; trainings; lobbying; funding …)?
Yes No (If No, please skip question 2.6.)
2.6. Please use Table C to:
• identify the reasons behind approaching the government agency
• describe the strategy employed
• list funding sources
• specify the duration of the action
• specify the impact of the action
77
3. Cooperating with other organizations
3.1. Has your organization cooperated with other entities for the planning and/or execution of
initiatives related to WMDWs in Lebanon?
Yes No (If No, please skip question 3.2.)
3.2. Please use Table D to identify:
• the institutions your organization has cooperated with
• areas of cooperation
• the duration of the cooperation
• successes and/or challenges.
4. Material produced about WMDWs
4.1. Has your organization produced audio, visual, and/or written material about WMDWs in
Lebanon or in the region? [The material can be published or unpublished, produced alone or in collaboration
with other organizations. Material includes studies, briefs, brochures, articles, training material, booklets, PowerPoint
presentations, conference proceedings, relevant minutes of meetings, documentaries, media spots …]
Yes No (If No, please skip question 4.2.)
4.2. Please use Table E to identify the person/institution responsible for the production of
this material, the title given to the material, and the languages and formats the material is
available in. Please indicate whether you can or would be willing to provide ILO with a copy of
this material.
4.3. Are you familiar with audio, visual, and/or written material about WMDWs that is
produced by other organizations in Lebanon?
Yes No (If No, please skip question 4.4.)
4.4. Please use Table F to identify the material which was most beneficial to your work with
WMDWs, briefly stating why you found the material to be useful?
4.5. Do you believe that additional research about the situation of WMDWs should be made
available?
Yes No (If No, please skip questions 4.6. to 4.9.)
78
4.6. Please identify aspects of women migrant domestic work that you think deserve the
attention of researchers:
4.7. Please provide a brief explanation of why you think more information should be available
about that aspect of women migrant domestic work:
4.8. What format would you like this information to be presented in (e.g., DVD, book, policy
brief, poster, website, PowerPoint, postcard, online PDFs…)?
4.9. Please explain why you believe this format is most suitable for the dissemination of the
information that you suggest in your answer to question 4.6.?
79
Table A
80
Service(s) offered Detailed description Program name Duration of the Information about Estimated number of Funding
to WMDWs by of the service under which program service-delivery beneficiaries (i.e., WMDWs) sources
your organization these services (start and end dates) (e.g., location of services; geographical When applicable please identify the
are delivered areas covered; partners and collaborating number of beneficiaries by community
(if applicable) institutions…) of WMDWs and by geographical area.
Providing shelter/
accommodation to
WMDWs
Providing financial
assistance to WMDWs
Matching WMDWs
with employment
opportunities
Providing psychological
assistance to WMDWs
Providing medical
assistance or advice to
WMDWs
Providing legal
assistance to WMDWs
(e.g., obtaining valid docu-
ments, retrieving passports
from employers…)
Building the capacity
of WMDWs
(e.g., literacy trainings,
computer trainings, cooking
classes…)
Managing/supporting
community centers
or multipurpose
community centers
Conducting research
about migrant workers,
including WMDWs
Complementing the
efforts of government
institutions with respect
to migrant workers,
including WMDWs
Hotline services
Referral to other
service providers
Assistance to
children of WMDWs
Please identify other
services delivered by
your organization to
WMDWs
Please identify other
services delivered by
your organization to
WMDWs
Please identify other
services delivered by
your organization to
WMDWs
81
Table B
Please describe the awareness raising activity carried out by your organization
Awareness-raising activity
Objective(s) of the activity
Name used to refer to the awareness-raising activity
Duration of the awareness-raising activity (start and end dates)
Description of the activity
Communication tool/s used during the activity
- Medium used to spread the message
like brochures, TV spots, posters, billboards
- Number and/or frequency of media used
Audience reached through the campaign
(e.g., teachers in schools; students in schools;
university professors; university students;
employers of WMDWs; media specialists;
the Lebanese public…)
Estimated number of individuals and/or
organizations reached through the campaign
When applicable please identify the number of beneficiaries by community of WMDWs and by geographical area.
Geographical location of the target audience
reached through the campaign
(e.g., specific governorates, national, regional…)
Funding sources
82
Awareness-raising activity
Objective(s) of the activity
Name used to refer to the awareness-raising activity
Duration of the awareness-raising activity (start and end dates)
Description of the activity
Communication tool/s used during the activity
- Medium used to spread the message
like brochures, TV spots, posters, billboards
- Number and/or frequency of media used
Audience reached through the campaign
(e.g., teachers in schools; students in schools;
university professors; university students;
employers of WMDWs; media specialists;
the Lebanese public…)
Estimated number of individuals and/or
organizations reached through the campaign
When applicable please identify the number of beneficiaries by community of WMDWs and by geographical area.
Geographical location of the target audience
reached through the campaign
(e.g., specific governorates, national, regional…)
Funding sources
83
Table C
Reason for approaching the government agency (e.g., improving working and living condition of WMDWs;
legislative reform; establishing a referral mechanism; establishing a hotline…)
The government agency(ies) that your organization has approached
Strategy employed to impact or work with the government agency(ies) (e.g., sharing research findings and
policy advice; lobbying; organizing workshops; funding…)
Duration of the action(start and end dates)
The outcome of the action (if applicable)
Funding sources
84
Table D
Type Name of the Area of Duration of Successes and/or
of organizations institutions you cooperation the cooperation challenges
have cooperated within (start and end dates)
with (optional) the activity
Community
organizations
Embassies
and consulates
Faith-based
organizations
Government
institutions
Intergovernmental
organizations
Interested Lebanese
citizens
International
non-governmental
organizations
Leaders of the
community of migrant
domestic workers
Legal specialists
or institutions
Local
non-governmental
organizations
Medical specialists
or institutions
Media specialists
or institutions
Organizations
of migrant workers
Private employment
agencies
Research centers
Schools and
universities
Other (please specify)
Other (please specify)
85
Table E
Person /institution responsible
for the development of this material
Title of the material
Languages the material is available in
Format of the material
(e.g., DVD, online material, brochure, pictures, book, posters, websites, postcards)
Possibility of sharing the material with ILO
Yes we can share the item with ILO No we cannot share the item with ILO
The item is free The item costs $
We can mail or email the item to ILO
ILO must pick up the item from:
Person /institution responsible
for the development of this material
Title of the material
Languages the material is available in
Format of the material
(e.g., DVD, online material, brochure, pictures, book, posters, websites, postcards)
Possibility of sharing the material with ILO
Yes we can share the item with ILO No we cannot share the item with ILO
The item is free The item costs $
We can mail or email the item to ILO
ILO must pick up the item from:
86
Table F
Person /institution responsible
for the development of this material
Title of the material
Languages the material is available in
Format of the material
(e.g., DVD, online material, brochure, pictures, book, posters, websites, postcards)
Brief explanation of why the material is useful
Person /institution responsible
for the development of this material
Title of the material
Languages the material is available in
Format of the material
(e.g., DVD, online material, brochure, pictures, book, posters, websites, postcards)
Brief explanation of why the material is useful
87
