Violators of rights of MWDWs blacklisted

The ministry of labor announced in a statement yesterday that, as part of combating violations of the rights of migrant domestic workers, and based on investigations on reported cases of abuse, it has begun as of February 2019, to develop a blacklist with the names of employers that investigations prove to be involved in abuse and ill-treatment of MWDWs. Accordingly, the statement went on to say, the measure will ban them from using the services of migrant workers, noting that 7 names have been enlisted during the past 3 months. The ministry voiced concern over the repeated incidents of suicide among MWDWs in Lebanon, pointing out that it is scrutinizing each individual case, including legal follow up. The statement revealed that the labor minister, Kamil Abu Sleiman, has formed a committee to determine the motives and reasons behind suicide attempts and ways of reducing them. Recalling, that the total number of dead migrant domestic workers since January is 6 (https://bit.ly/2EHSuVS ). The statement stressed the need to include mental illnesses in the insurance coverage for MWDWs, and concluded by warning that the ministry shall bring violators to justice. (Al Mustaqbal, May 31, 2019)