JINHA

NEWS CENTER – Women domestic workers in Lebanon marched for their rights today in Beirut. Lebanon has around 250,000 mostly women and migrant domestic workers.

Domestic workers in Lebanon have been fighting for their right to a union for years in Lebanon, in spite of aggressive attempts by the government to block their struggle. Today, they marched with a banner declaring: "we work under special circumstances but our rights are universal."

The women, who have marched every May 1 for their rights for the last six years, fought against the racist and sexist policies of the state for years, finally declaring their union in January of this year. The union, affiliated with the FENASOL confederation, was founded with 250 members. The Lebanese Minister of Labor has refused to recognize the union, on the grounds that migrant workers cannot unionize, and has threatened the women.

Migrant workers struggle with the Kafala legal system that obliges them to be tied to a sponsoring family. They face aggression on the one hand from the state that deports their children and on the other, from employers who have a free hand for exploitation and abuse.

Among Arab countries, where there are over two million domestic workers in total, Lebanon is the first to have a union of domestic workers. Workers say they will continue their struggle against the state's refusal to recognize the union.

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