Commenting on the statements issued by the Lebanese Labour Minister, Kamil Abu Suleiman, on the formation of a committee to study the amendment of the Labour Law, in addition to take practical measures to abolish the sponsorship system in Lebanon. Lynn Maalouf, the research director of Amnesty International's Middle East program, confirmed the organization’s support of the Minister of Labour promise to take concrete measures to protect the rights of the female domestic workers in the country.
The representative of Amnesty International considered these statements as a positive sign for the legal protection of the rights of the migrant female domestic workers, that guarantees them a decent residence and work in Lebanon. She also emphasized that such statements have to be implemented, as soon as possible, noting that the migrant female domestic workers in Lebanon are excluded from the Labour Code as they have to adhere to the unjust sponsorship system, which increases the risk of exploitation, forced labour and trafficking, and impedes their access to justice.
It is noteworthy that the current sponsorship system in Lebanon is inconsistent with the local laws that protect freedoms, human dignity, and the rights of workers, and criminalize forced labour and trafficking in human beings and, as well as they contravene Lebanon's international agreements.
Lebanon hosts more than 250 000 migrant female domestic workers, who come from African and Asian countries and work in the sector of domestic service.
The migrant female domestic workers are subject to the sponsorship system, which restricts their legal residence through their contractual relationship with the employer and prevent them from leaving or changing their work without the consent of the employer.
In this context, Amnesty International has documented numerous cases of human rights and workers' rights’ violations against the migrant female domestic workers in Lebanon and it is preparing for the launching of a campaign to ask for the legal protection of these workers.
A delegation from the organization met this week with the Minister of Labor to discuss the situation of the migrant domestic female workers and filed recommendations regarding the protection of their rights.
#Lebanon #commitments #female_domestic_workers
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