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An Nahar reporting on foreign domestic workers: Why this level of focus on household workers?

13-3-2014

An Nahar newspaper published yesterday a report on the rights of the different kinds of vulnerable workers in Lebanon especially those whose rights are violated on a daily basis.  The report concludes by raising doubts on the intentions of NGOs whose concerns focus entirely on women migrant workers.  According to lawyer Rami Aoun, there are more than 40000 Egyptian workers in Lebanon of whom only 17000 work legally with residency and work permits whilst others work illegally on the black market, mostly in petrol stations.  The Lebanese Observatory for the Rights of Workers highlighted the state of discrimination against a large number of Sudanese workers in addition to their plight with the UNHCR and with security forces, also noting the continuous aggressions against Syrian workers and their frequent accusations of various ills.
On the other hand, the current Minister of Labor, Sejaan Azzi, noted after his meeting with Philippine Ambassador, Leah Ruiz, that Lebanon is ready to facilitate the work of Philippine houseworkers whilst respecting and protecting their rights against trafficking, and in accordance with standards of the ILO and the International Human Rights Conventions and the Lebanese Labor Law.  He asked the Philippines to lift its ban on travel of its national workers to Lebanon.  Azzi refused, however, that migrant workers are given privileges that are over and beyond those of Lebanese workers (!?).  Although the Nahar report highlights the plight of migrant workers and points out to the exploitation by employers including long working hours, refusing to pay salaries and other practices that violate rights, the report nevertheless wondered why some NGOs do focus solely on supporting migrant women workers.
Source: Al-Nahar, Al-Safir, Al-Diyar 12 February 2014

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