{"id":23461,"date":"2024-01-17T17:37:58","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T14:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/armlebanon.org\/?p=23461"},"modified":"2025-12-10T15:02:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T12:02:34","slug":"situation-brief-and-forecasted-needs-of-migrant-domestic-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/armlebanon.org\/ar\/situation-brief-and-forecasted-needs-of-migrant-domestic-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"Situation Brief and Forecasted Needs of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Situation Brief and Forecasted Needs of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon<\/h2><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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17\/01\/2024<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u0627\u0644\u0645\u0646\u0627\u0635\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0645\u0651\u0629<\/span><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Introduction<\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Since the 8th of October, Lebanon has been on the brink of a full-scale war. Villages on the southern borders have been repeatedly attacked by Israel, causing the displacement of more than 40,000 of their residents. In the past weeks, the conflict area and intensity grew as Israel increasingly attacked civilian targets. Threats of escalation of war have been repeatedly made by Israel. Many countries issued <\/span>warnings<\/a><\/strong> to their nationals to leave the country.\u00a0 The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) <\/span>advised<\/a><\/strong> Filipinos in Lebanon to consider leaving while the Beirut airport was still functional. The Nepalese honorary consulate also <\/span>advised<\/a><\/strong> citizens who wish to return home to prepare their documents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Following Israel\u2019s war on Lebanon in 2006, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) <\/span>reported<\/a><\/strong> that migrant workers \u201cwere the forgotten victims of the Lebanese conflict and their plight remained largely ignored and under-reported\u201d. In the immediate aftermath of Beirut Port Explosion in 2020, migrant workers were also deprioritized as rescue and relief efforts were uneven: \u201cMigrant workers who survived the blast <\/span>describe<\/a><\/strong> living through a double trauma: first the shock of the blast, then the brazen indifference as to whether they live or die.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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While the context of 2006 differs largely from that of 2023, especially when it comes to the stakeholders involved and committed to the protection of migrant workers in Lebanon, the reality remains that individuals have already started struggling with challenges specific to their situation given the evolution of the multilayered crisis. In case of escalation, these challenges will likely increase. Looking back at the 2006 war and the 2020 Beirut port explosion also helps us assess the impact of such emergencies on the migrant communities in order to foresee the challenges and potential gaps to prepare accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This brief aims to share information on the current situation of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, as in ARM we believe in the importance of collective planning and actions. Information shared in this brief was outlined by community organizers and representatives from 16 different countries, to assess the needs already emerging from the situation of the country, as well as their concerns about their future in case of escalation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Current Situation of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon<\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In regards to residents of the south <\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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According to IOM\u2019s Migrant presence monitoring (MPM) in Lebanon in August 2023, around <\/span>12% of migrant workers in the country reside in the districts already directly impacted by the conflict <\/b>(Sour 6%, El Nabatieh 5%, Bint Jbeil 1%) the majority of these are live-in workers<\/span>. Many residents of these areas, as well as others from neighboring districts were<\/span> internally displaced and spread across the rest of the country<\/b> (Displacement <\/span>map<\/a><\/strong> on October 20)<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The situation of migrants in these areas remains mostly unmonitored.The general assumption is that workers would have fled with their employers but previous experiences have shown disturbing patterns of <\/span>abandonment of migrant domestic workers<\/b><\/a> by their employers in times of crisis.<\/b> The closure of businesses and the fleeing of employers also raises questions about live out workers, who<\/span> may be losing their jobs and sources of income.<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Community organizers are attempting to support their compatriots, Ethiopian workers living in Saida and the South are compiling lists of Ethiopian workers residing in the south upon the request of their consulate. However, many Ethiopian workers have their passports confiscated, or could be undocumented, which can complicate their access to services provided by their embassy. Moreover<\/span>, efforts of individual community organizers have multiple limitations and will not be enough to acquire a complete database, especially in the context of instability and displacement.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Some other communities with smaller populations and responsive consular staff such as the Philippines, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo reported that their consulates representatives checked on them, mostly through whatsapp groups, and ensured the evacuation and repatriation of those interested. However, other community organizers from countries such as Kenya and Cameroon are not already in touch with their compatriots in the south, and reported no efforts on the part of their consulates to find or assist affected migrants.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In regards to residents of other areas<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The internal displacement of the residents of the South have reportedly affected migrants in other areas. Many community organizers reported that<\/span> live out migrant domestic workers started facing rent increases and eviction threats:<\/b> this is reportedly due to the landlords\u2019 intention of profiting off the displaced groups\u2019 need for accommodation or in other cases, to shelter family members, personal acquaintances, or Lebanese families from the south in the houses they had already rented to migrant workers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Other migrant domestic workers have also reported an<\/span> increased loss of jobs due to employers traveling abroad<\/b>, supposedly until the situation gets better, <\/span>or cutting on the costs of domestic work. <\/b>\u00a0Some live-in workers are reportedly getting abandoned by their employers, mostly those who had the opportunity to temporarily leave the country due to the situation.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Moreover, community organizers have also reported that their landlords are not allowing them to shelter individuals from their communities. This highlights<\/span> a potential increase in needs for shelters even for women in areas not directly affected by the conflict.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In regards to the checkpoints and escalation of racist incidents <\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In 2023, the Lebanese government, supported by the media, continued the crackdown on marginalized groups in the country, notably refugees. Following months of decrees, decisions and policies by the state, the army and the General Security (GS), waves of arrests and forced deportations took place. Municipalities in particular played a big role by issuing and illegally enforcing discriminatory policies, outside of their jurisdiction. Moreover, sporadic <\/span>violence<\/a><\/strong> and organized violence by local armed groups <\/span>increased<\/a><\/strong>, and were tolerated by the authorities, including enforcing illegal checkpoints and raids targeting refugees and migrants in areas including Beirut and Metn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In fact, ARM received multiple reports of migrant workers being harassed, robbed and threatened to have their motorbikes confiscated at such checkpoints. They were unsure whether these were held by a legitimate authority, the municipality or thugs. This has also caused more economic hardships for undocumented domestic workers, as many of them reported that some <\/span>workers are sometimes too scared to commute and go to work, and are thus losing their jobs, and their source of income to them and their families.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Expected Challenges<\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The challenges listed below are forecasted based on the current situation of migrant workers as well as looking back retrospectively to similar crises in Lebanon. It is important to note that some of them are already being experienced by migrants, both in areas directly affected by the war and\/or by the displacement. Escalations, however, mean that these challenges might continue on a higher scale.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Employers fleeing dangerous areas, and leaving migrant domestic workers locked in the house<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Such cases were quite common during the 2006 war. At the time Caritas <\/span>reportedly<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>collaborated with migrant community leaders to track the workers and intervened with ISF to free them. Following the war, the Sri Lankan embassy <\/span>reported<\/a><\/strong> that several women had arrived with broken limbs and back injuries after trying to escape using sheets from windows or balconies. In the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, workers were also left in situations that endanger their life, such as employers fleeing destroyed homes and neighborhoods and leaving injured workers behind.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In this case, reaching these workers might be challenging, for many reasons:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>