Filipina domestic worker commits suicide in Lebanon – embassy

Her death comes days after a rights group complained about the shelter she was in

by Agence France-Presse, 25 May 2020

BEIRUT, Lebanon – A Filipina domestic worker has committed suicide in Lebanon at a shelter run by her embassy, consular officials said Sunday, May 24, days after a rights group complained about accommodation at the shelter.

The embassy, in a statement posted on its Facebook page, said the unnamed “household service worker” arrived on Friday at the shelter and tried to take her life the following day.

She died of injuries on Sunday, it said, adding that “details of the incident are currently being investigated.”

An estimated 250,000 domestic workers – mostly from Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka – live in Lebanon, many in conditions condemned by rights groups.

Those conditions have worsened in recent months as Lebanon is grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades, as well as a coronavirus lockdown.

Some Lebanese families have started paying their home help in the depreciating local currency, while others are now unable to pay them at all, with increasing reports of domestic workers being evicted onto the streets.

The devaluation of the Lebanese pound leads to major hikes in the price of food, much of which is imported

Under new guidelines, there should be no more than 100 guests, all of whom must stay a meter apart and wear masks – including the happy couple

Mazen Hamdane is accused of manipulating the Lebanese pound and ‘breaching [its] stability through directly buying dollars from money changers’

To stay updated on news, advisories, and explainers, check out our special coverage page, “Novel Coronavirus Outbreak.”

A sponsorship system known as “kafala” excludes maids, nannies, and carers from Lebanon’s labor law, and leaves them at the mercy of their employers, who pay wages as low as $150 a month.

The death of the Filipina domestic worker comes after a visit to the embassy shelter by a delegation from Lebanon’s National Human Rights Commission.

On Monday the commission, in a letter sent to the embassy and posted on Facebook, criticized conditions at the shelter.

“The occupancy exceeds the official capacity,” it said.

“Respect the minimum requirements for daily outdoor excercise” and “make available appropriate psychological support to all women and staff,” the rights group added.

It also called on Lebanese authorities to “ensure that migrant domestic workers are protected from exploitative working conditions during the lockdown.”(READ: In Hong Kong, Filipino domestic workers lose jobs over coronavirus outbreak)

A video posted by the embassy on its Facebook page Monday said the shelter was currently home to 26 people who receive “all meals and necessities” free of charge. – Rappler.com