Thursday, September 16, 2010

Lebanon: Judiciary Failing to Protect Domestic Workers


Indifference, Lengthy Procedures, and Restrictive Sponsorship System Defeat Justice

Human Rights Watch

"(Beirut) - Lebanon's judiciary is generally failing to hold employers accountable when they violate the basic rights of migrant domestic workers, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The government should adopt a plan to ensure that these workers can rely on Lebanese courts to protect their rights, Human Rights Watch said.

The 54-page report, "Without Protection: How the Lebanese Justice System Fails Migrant Domestic Workers," reviews 114 Lebanese judicial decisions affecting migrant domestic workers. It finds that lack of accessible complaint mechanisms, lengthy judicial procedures, and restrictive visa policies dissuade many workers from filing or pursuing complaints against their employers. Even when workers file complaints, the police and judicial authorities regularly fail to treat certain abuses against domestic workers as crimes......"

No comments: