Support

Activist, community and non-governmental organisations

This is a non-exhaustive list of organisations that support (and in many cases are led by) migrant domestic workers.

Kalayaan (UK) offers immigration and employment advice, and works on advocacy and policy change.

Voice of Domestic Workers (UK) is a support network and campaign group for migrant domestic workers.

Filipino Domestic Workers Association (UK) is an organisation composed of Filipino women working as domestic workers in the UK.

Anti-Racism Movement (Lebanon) is a grassroots movement created by young activists in Lebanon in collaboration with migrant community leaders, and runs three Migrant Community Centres.

KAFA (Enough) Violence and Exploitation (Lebanon) has been aiming to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence and exploitation since its establishment in 2005, and initiated a campaign targeting employers of domestic workers. KAFA also run a helpline at +961 03 018 019.

Insan Association (Lebanon) acts to protect and promote the rights of the most marginalised individuals, families and children living in Lebanon

Alliance of Migrant Domestic Workers (Lebanon) is a self-led group that aims to empower women who are MDWs in Lebanon in the quest for labor rights, and fight against discrimination.

International Federation of Domestic Workers is a membership-based global organization of domestic and household workers.

Reports

Special reports and key news articles

Amnesty International (2019), Their House is My Prison: Exploitation of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon

Caritas Lebanon Migration Centre and International Labour Organization (2014), Access to Justice for Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

EU Rights Agency (2018), Out of Sight: Migrant women exploited in domestic work

Ewin, James (2015), Independent Review of the Overseas Domestic Worker Visa (UK)

The Guardian (2015), ‘UK tied visa system ‘turning domestic workers into modern day slaves”

The Guardian (2019), ‘When escaping an abusive employer is a crime: the trap Britain sets for Filipino domestic workers’

Human Rights Watch (2010), Without Protection: How the Lebanese Justice System Fails Migrant Domestic Workers

The Independent (2019), ‘The UK asylum system has created the perfect conditions for modern slavery to thrive’

Insan Association (2016), Trapped: Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon

International Labour Organisation (2011), Convention No. 189: Decent work for domestic workers

KAFA (Enough) Violence and Exploitation (2012), Policy Paper on Reforming the “Sponsorship System” for Migrant Domestic Workers: Towards an Alternative Governance Scheme in Lebanon

Kalayaan (2019), Dignity, Not Destitution: The impact of differential rights of work for migrant domestic workers referred to the National Referral Mechanism

The National (2018), ‘Suspicious death of domestic worker in Lebanon sparks debate over racism’

New Internationalist (2019), ‘The domestic workers resisting slavery in Lebanon’

Parry-Davies, Ella (2020) ‘”A Chance to Feel Safe”: Precarious Filipino migrants amid the UK coronavirus outbreak’

Red Pepper (2019), ‘Domestic workers across the world are organising to defend their rights’