DRL Programs for Protection of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support the protection of migrant domestic workers subject to the kafala system in Lebanon. Lebanon is home to more than 250,000 migrant domestic workers, primarily women, who are subject to the constraints of the kafala system, an inherently abusive migration sponsorship system which leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation, forced labor, and trafficking with little prospect for recourse. DRL requests proposals for a $900,000 project to ensure migrant domestic workers in Lebanon benefit from rights and protections in line with international standards and are no longer subject to the kafala sponsorship system currently in place in the country. The program should educate employers and domestic workers on international labor standards and commitments as well as Lebanese laws on workers’ rights and the penalties for failing to adhere to these rights within the Lebanese penal code.