The Kafala System

The kafala, or sponsorship system, is a legal framework prevalent in Lebanon and other Arab countries, defining the relationship between foreign workers, including domestic workers, and their local sponsors or employers. The system gives local individuals or companies permits to employ foreign laborers, covering various aspects of their stay, such as travel expenses and housing.

Under this system, the legal status of over 250,000 migrant domestic workers in Lebanon is tied to their employers. Lebanon's Labor Law (Article 7) explicitly excludes these workers from protections like minimum wage, working hours and right to join unions, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.

Lebanon should be working towards abolishing the Kafala system. Instead, the Ministry of Labor has recently drafted a new standard labor contract for migrant domestic workers that would make their rights more vulnerable under the kafala system. This highlights the urgent need for protective structures, and for increasing the pressure to abolish Kafala.

Special shout out to the Migrant Community Center, who have built an alternative, inclusive, and supportive space focusing on the needs of mainly women migrant domestic workers. Since 2010, they have provided a place to meet, share resources, learn, and advocate for abolishing kafala.