The investigation into the death of migrant workers is taking a more “professional” approach. The death yesterday of Melomasen A., Ethiopian domestic worker, in Ashrafieh, was not declared a suicide (yet). Investigations into the circumstances of the death are ongoing. She “fell…
Archive for December, 2009
Bengali maid in Lebanon attempts suicide by drinking detergent
December 22nd, 2009
Al-Akhbar newspaper reported today the suicide attempt of S. I., a Bengali national working as maid in the Bekaa, Lebanon. She was rushed into Bekaa hosptial after drinking a quantity of detergent (Flash) at her employers’ house. The following is Al-Akhbar’s one sentence report in Arabic...
Miss Philippine Lebanon on Lebanon’s New TV
December 21st, 2009
Last Saturday, the Lebanese had the opportunity to see on prime time TV (after the 8 o’clock news) a live interview with a Filipino maid working in Lebanon and elected Miss Philippine Lebanon 2009 in an event held in Lebanon. I only succeeded in shooting with my digital camera the last 5 minut...
HRW Overview of Migrant Workers Rights in the Middle East in 2009
December 20th, 2009
Egypt Housemaids Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Legislation Saudi Arabia Sponsorship Suicide UAE
Human Rights Watch (HRW) published last week a summary of the reports and research they’ve conducted over the last year on migrant rights. The end-year report highlighted the lack of protection of migrant workers in many Middle Eastern countries. In Kuwait, the report focused on the Sponsorshi...
List of proposed solutions to insure the rights of foreign maids in Lebanon
December 17th, 2009
Housemaids Lebanon Legislation Sponsorship
The following is a listing solutions and measures meant to secure the fundamental rights of female migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. These proposals have been collected in reports, studies and press releases from Human Right Watch, the International Labour Organization and Caritas-Lebanon. They a...
Sri Lankan Maid Commits Suicide in Kuwait
December 17th, 2009
A 26-year-old Sri Lankan maid was found dead Monday night, the Kuwaiti daily Al-Jarida reported today. The woman hung herself in a house in Meedan Hawalli, Kuwait. According to a security official, the employer of the maid withheld her salaries for many months. The authorities found a recent letter ...
HRW: Israel is Complicit in Egyptian Abuses of Forcibly Returned Migrants
December 15th, 2009
Human Rights Watch called on the Israeli Supreme Court to forbid the IDF to continue forcibly returning to Egypt refugees and migrants who cross the Sinai border. In the current policy, Israel doesn’t allow the migrants to seek asylum, forcing them instead to return to Egypt. In Egypt, the Afr...
Indonesian Maid Attempts Suicide in Saudi Arabia
December 15th, 2009
Housemaids Saudi Arabia Suicide
The Saudi edition of the Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported today about the case of an Indonesian maid who was planning to commit suicide in Medina. The maid who is in her 20s, climbed to the fourth floor of an apartment building in northern Medina and threatened to jump. She agreed to step down after...
Iraqi Refugees Face Exploitation in Lebanon
December 14th, 2009
Abusive employers Iraq Lebanon Refugees
The Daily Star reported today about the possible exploitation refugees from Iraq face in Lebanon. Following the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, many Iraqis fled the country and about 50,000 of them settled in Lebanon. Christian Iraqis saw Lebanon as an attractive destination due to its large Christian p...
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