In Lebanon, the plight of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) within the confines of the Kafala system is a stark reminder of the pervasive issue that is modern-day slavery. Building upon the momentum generated by migrant-led movements, such as Egna Legna's significant achievement with their campaign against sexual harassment, the Reclaim our Rights Collective is launching its #NotYourProperty campaign to continue shedding light on the deeply rooted problem of violence against women with a particular emphasis on sexual violence endured by migrant women at the hands of employers, agents, authorities and even the broader society. 

Reclaim Our Rights' Message

Today, as the Reclaim Our Rights Collective, we launch the #NotYourProperty campaign focusing on a deeply entrenched issue in Lebanese society: sexual violence against Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon. Central to the campaign is the recognition of the fundamental right of every migrant worker to live free from violence and with the full enjoyment of their rights. As a collective, we stand firm in our resolve to shine a light on this silent epidemic and demand meaningful change. We underscore the imperative for a sweeping cultural shift to prevent and combat sexual violence and exploitation emphasising that this responsibility rests on society as a whole. We stand firm in our call for collective action to ensure the safety, equity, and full participation of migrant women in Lebanese society. 

We believe it is crucial to highlight a fundamental aspect of our campaign, which is the recognition of our humanity and dignity as migrant women of colour. While we reject the notion of being someone's property, sadly this is the reality of how Lebanese society often perceives and treats us. This dehumanising treatment strips away our dignity, but it cannot erase the inherent worth and dignity we possess.

We seek to shed light on the insidious exploitative practices embedded within the Kafala system. From its inception, the sponsorship system subjects migrant workers to objectification, commodification, and exploitation. Practices such as recruitment agents taking photographs of us and circulating them to potential employers, reduce us to mere images for selection as commodities. Many employers openly admit to basing their decisions on our looks, revealing the disturbing reality that our worth is judged solely on our appearance. So many stories have emerged of employers boasting about having "bought" us and asserting their absolute control over us, emphasising that their choice was based purely on superficial criteria. These practices underscore the urgent need to challenge the dehumanisation and objectification of women migrant domestic workers inherent in the Kafala system.

We have been subjected to numerous forms of sexual violence at the hands of employers, agents, and authorities in Lebanon. These acts include but are not limited to, sexual harassment in both public and private transport, catcalling on the streets and racial sexualisation. Many of us face sexual slurs and are often wrongly assumed to be sex workers solely because of our race. The violence escalates to physical and psychological abuse, including sexual assault, rape, indecent exposure and digital and online sex crimes (such as cyberflashing). These acts compound the trauma of exploitation and objectification, making it imperative to address the systemic abuse enabled by the Kafala system and to advocate for the rights and dignity of migrant women in Lebanon.