Lebanon urged: Protect domestic workers

MANILA, Philippines — A United Nations human rights expert has urged Lebanon to introduce laws to protect the estimated 200,000 domestic workers in the country, many of whom are Filipinos, warning that many of them live in conditions of servitude and are subject to physical or sexual abuse and economic exploitation.

According to Gulnara Shahinian, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, Lebanon’s population of migrant domestic workers — majority of whom are women — are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

A total deployment ban to Lebanon has been enforced by the Philippine government since June 18, 2007.

However, as many as 30,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are said to be still working in Lebanon. Due to the recent turmoil between Lebanon and Israel, however, many have been repatriated back to the Philippines, while others have been relocated to Cyprus, a part of the Philippine evacuation plan.

It even came to a point when Philippine Ambassador Gilberto Asuque reiterated early this year his appeal to all Filipinos who wish to work there to observe the deployment ban and to avoid illegal recruiters whose only aim is to collect his or her commission for each OFW deployed to Lebanon and who will not take any responsibility for whatever happens to the OFW nor assist in the repatriation.

An earlier report by migrant rights watchdog Migrante said majority of reported OFW deaths come from Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria and usually involves household service workers, more popularly known as domestic helpers. –ROY C. MABASA, Manila Bulletin