Access to justice for migrant domestic workers in Lebanon
This study analyzes the legal framework of immigration and employment in the sector of domestic work and traces the development of case law of criminal courts and Labour Arbitration Councils since 2000 in cases involving migrant domestic workers (MDWs) victims of labour exploitation.
Based on this, the International Labour Office decided to work in partnership with the largest provider of services for migrant workers in Lebanon, Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center, to conduct a joint research. This report is the result of the work carried out between January and December 2013. It relies on a rigorous analysis of the CLMC database including 730 files of Ethiopian migrants supported by the organization since 2007, on a comprehensive study of 24 cases involving MDWs of different nationalities appearing before the criminal courts and Labour Arbitration Councils by CLMC lawyers, as well as on 22 interviews with key stakeholders.
It also identifies the obstacles preventing these victims from having access to justice in Lebanon, and makes recommendations to advance their protection and their ability to seek and obtain compensation through formal or informal judicial institutions.
It also identifies the obstacles preventing these victims from having access to justice in Lebanon, and makes recommendations to advance their protection and their ability to seek and obtain compensation through formal or informal judicial institutions.