Employers and migrant women domestic workers both reject the “Kafala” system

‘When employers meet with domestic workers, is the title of a conference organized yesterday by ‘Insan’ Association under the patronage of Labor Minister Sajaan Azzi. The conference which coincides with the International Domestic Workers Day was opened with a presentation of challenges facing migrant workers in Lebanon and the role of the Ministry in improving their conditions. Head of Inspection at the Labor Ministry, Jumana Haimur, tacked in her intervention the new measures introduced by the Ministry to end abuse of domestic workers, and which include: supervising recruitment agencies, activating the role of field inspectors, in addition to the signing of new bilateral memorandums of understanding with countries of origin. In this respect, the head of the Syndicate of Owners of Recruitment Agencies in Lebanon, Hisham Burji, underlined the need for introducing a compulsory insurance that compensate the employer in the event of the domestic worker leaving her employer’s house. According to Burji, the introduction of this new insurance will restrict infringements on the freedom of movement of the domestic worker or withholding her passport. The Conference was concluded with both employers and workers agreeing on the need for reforming the present “Kafala” sponsorship system. (Al Mustaqbal, 18 June 2015)