There are hundreds of thousands of migrant workers currently in Lebanon whose immigration status is dependent on the Kafala sponsorship system. While all migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation, the risks for female migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are particularly high. MDWs face intersectional forms of discrimination relating to being women, Asian or African, completely financially dependent on their sponsors, and often very young. They also almost always live in the houses of their employers – where slavery-like conditions, serious abuse and at worst murder of MDWs is carried out behind closed doors.
Our vision is a world where barriers to safe migration are removed and protections for migrant workers’ fundamental rights are implemented, so that they may live and work with dignity and respect.
We carry out intersectional, gender-sensitive research, investigate and expose abuses. We believe that accurate, factual, collaborative research is the foundation for great advocacy to help create sustainable and transformative change in society.
Our direct work with Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon gives MWA a unique insight into their lived experiences allowing us to collate data that reflects the broader situation.
Through our advocacy, we bear witness to the abuses suffered by migrant domestic workers in both their journey to Lebanon and within Lebanon. We aim to disseminate our work and advocate with and for migrant domestic workers, at the national, regional, and international levels to address the drivers of Kafala and raise awareness about its dangers. Through this, we hope to provide MDWs with the tools of information to resist this state-sponsored exploitation, and advocate for their rights to recover and rebuild their lives.
MWA is dedicated to support migrant-led and migrant-centred efforts in Lebanese civil society. The team is providing support and training to make advocacy tools and methods available to migrant-led groups. The project is to aid in organising within their communities and within civil society as main agents for change in regards to Kafala and their rights. MWA's role is in assisting and facilitating the groups in their priorities and strategy development.
MWA’s multidisciplinary team provides direct support to Migrant Domestic Workers through various activities and interventions. We do so in collaboration with a wide network of trusted partnerships and organisations in both Lebanon and countries of origin.
