Rights group says Lebanon’s judicial system fails to protect domestic workers
By APThursday, September 16, 2010
Group: Lebanon not protecting domestic workers
BEIRUT — An international human rights group says Lebanon’s judicial system is failing to protect the rights of foreign domestic workers.
Human Rights Watch said in a report released Thursday that employers generally do not face charges for physically abusing the workers, confiscating their passports or denying them food.
The report urges Lebanese authorities to reform the judicial system and restrictive visa policies that discourage many workers from filing or pursuing claims.
About 200,000 migrants work in Lebanon.
Domestic work abroad is an important source of employment for women in countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nepal, India, and Ethiopia. Their earnings amount to billions of dollars of remittances sent home each year.
