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MWDWs loose one third of their salary

28-2-2020

According to an AFP feature published in An Nahar today, migrant women domestic workers have lost almost one third of their pays as a result of receiving their wage, originally in US currency, in the Lebanese pound, and more specifically, at the lowest official rate in exchange for the dollar. This measure taken by the majority of employers has forced many of these workers to leave the country. More than 250,000 migrant domestic workers are reportedly living in Lebanon, including more than 186,000 women, mostly Ethiopian, Bengali, Sri Lankan and Philippine nationals, who hold work permits. On the developing fate of MWDWs as a result of the emerging financial crisis, Marie,18, recounted that she arrived in Beirut 3 years ago to work and support her family in Ethiopia. For several months now, Marie lamented, she has not been able to send money home because her monthly salary was slashed from USD 400 to Lebanese pounds at the lowest official rate. She has to pay for the room she rented north of the capital, in addition to food and clothing expenses. Similarly, Naf, 18, also from Ethiopia, who works per hour, said she decided to return to her country after she stopped receiving her wage in $ because the employer could not secure hard currency from banks. In this regard, AFP pointed out that the Philippine Embassy in Beirut offered on past December 5 a free flight for all its nationals who wish to leave Lebanon. More than a thousand Philippine MWDWs accompanied by their children headed to the Embassy for registration. (For the full AFP article, kindly refer to link below: https://www.afp.com/en/news/1277/doc-1pa6ie1. (An Nahar, February 28, 2020)

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