Gaceta Sanitaria
2018

Justifying abuse of women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon: the opinion of recruitment agencies [Justificación del abuso de las trabajadoras domésticas inmigrantes en Líbano: la opinión de las agencias de contratación] (Article in Press) (Open Access)

Ghaddar A.* , Khandaqji S. , Ghattas J.
  • a Department of Biomedical Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon, Observatory of Public Policies and Health, Beirut, Lebanon
  • b Department of Biomedical Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon, Observatory of Public Policies and Health, Beirut, Lebanon
  • c Observatory of Public Policies and Health, Beirut, Lebanon, Faculté de Santé Publique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

Abstract

Objective: Gender-based violence against women migrant domestic workers (WMDW) is a serious public health concern in the Middle East region. The current study is the first to explore abuse of WMDW as perceived by recruitment agency managers. Method: A qualitative study was conducted using 42 personal semi-structural interviews with agency managers in Lebanon. The interview guidelines were designed based on the standards set by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 189. The information was transcribed in Arabic, and data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The interviewees believe that WMDW are subject to abusive practices that represent various violations of the ILO Convention No. 189, including harassment and violence, compulsory labour, misinformation about conditions of employment, denial of periods of rest and restriction of movement and travel documents. In many situations, the interviewees justified some of these practices as being necessary to protect their business and to protect the workers. Conclusion: The results of this study have several policy implications for the protection of WMDW against abuse. © 2018 SESPAS

Author Keywords

Transients and migrants qualitative research Female Lebanon Gender-based violence

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85058987146&doi=10.1016%2fj.gaceta.2018.11.001&partnerID=40&md5=70e2ced3bb5079ab63531a5b1a755c04
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2018.11.001
ISSN: 02139111
Original Language: English; Spanish