Executive Summary
The Kafala ‘sponsorship’ system is used to import foreign labour into Lebanon and other states in the region. This system, which enables the oppression and exploitation of migrant workers, is often described as modern-day slavery. Under Kafala, migrant workers – mainly women migrant domestic workers working in households – are denied basic human rights, including the right to a minimum wage, safe living conditions, and the freedom to quit their jobs.
Anti-Racism Movement (ARM) sees migrant workers not as passive recipients of services, but as leaders and agents of social change. Through ARM's Migrant Community Centers, advocacy, community-organizing, and casework teams, migrant workers are supported to self-organize and lead efforts to end this structural racism.
ARM aims to enable grassroots, community-led change for the complete abolishment of Kafala in Lebanon - which would increase pressure for action throughout the entire region.
Charity, fund, non-governmental organization, religious institution, school, or other entity
Organizations may provide budget and employee data based on this proposal or the organization as a whole. For more information on this proposal or organization, please email us.
Accomplishments
Along with the increase in membership of our Migrant Community Center, we recently relocated and launched our most spacious community center to date. We have also launched the center's media collective, which aims to reclaim migrant visibility.
Our casework team has acquired a new manager and is currently working to restructure what we offer.
When it comes to our advocacy and work with migrant activists, we are happy to witness the community's independence grow. Two grassroots migrant coalitions were established and received coaching support from our team. Similar successes were established with the French speaking community we work with.
Our programs team has made considerable progress in establishing its meal systems especially when it comes to our learnings. We are currently in the process of prioritizing and flagging our organization’s most important learning interests, which we will develop in the upcoming year.
