By Emma Sleiman | Staff Writer
Lebanon’s care sector holds immense potential for empowering women and fostering their economic emancipation. In a recent conference led by the prestigious Asfari Institute, experts and thought-leaders gathered to address the pressing challenges faced by women in this sector.
The conference discussed systemic changes necessary for women’s economic autonomy and emancipation, as well as the significance of care work and advocating for comprehensive frameworks that propel the advancement of this cause. The burdens of unpaid care work, the urgent problems presented by the Kafala system, and the requirement for substantial legislative reforms were among the major concerns discussed.
Viviane Badaan, Gielan El Messiri, MP Imaya Ezzedine, Teresa Pontillas, and Lina Abou Habib were among the distinguished panelists who contributed their knowledge and perceptions on many facets of the care economy. Here, we provide a summary of the debates and suggestions made at the meeting.
Gender Disparities in the Care Economy:
Gielan El Messiri, a UN Women representative in Lebanon, emphasized the gender gaps and major challenges in assessing the care economy on both a national and international scale. Women have historically been responsible for the majority of care work, which includes both paid and unpaid tasks. This frequently limits women’s economic independence. El Messiri stressed how marriage and family obligations increase the amount of care that women must provide, which has a disempowering social impact. Critical issues included lack of support for childcare, aged care, and people with disabilities, as well as horizontal and vertical employment segregation. Care leave access was also restricted.
The Impact of the Kafala System: The exploitative character of the Kafala system, which employs migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, was one of the most urgent topics mentioned. Co-founder of the Migrant Workers Alliance and panelist Teresa Pontillas shed light on the breaches of these workers’ human rights. More than a quarter million migrant domestic workers experience contemporary slavery, which includes deprivation of pay, mistreatment, and passport seizure. They are not covered by labor law safeguards under the Kafala system, making them vulnerable to exploitation. During the debates, there was a solid consensus that the Kafala system must be abolished immediately, and international labor standards must be ratified to protect migrant workers.
The Finnish Ambassador to Lebanon delivered a statement subsequent to the conclusion of the panel discussion.
Policy Gaps and Enhancing the Status of Care Work:
In order to improve the state of care work in Lebanon, MP Imaya Ezzedine, a public health expert and member of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, underlined the necessity of bridging significant policy gaps. Gender inequalities are maintained by underpaid labor in a variety of care sectors and the absence of women in leadership roles within these sectors. Also emphasized were the lack of a national strategy for elder care and the prevalence of unpaid, unorganized employment. The out-of-date Lebanese labor legislation was subject to revisions proposed by MP Ezzedine, including the recognition of remote work as a part-time job and the inclusion of social rights for caregivers of the elderly.
Challenges Faced by Migrant Domestic Workers:
The difficulties encountered by migrant domestic workers in Lebanon were described by Teresa Pontillas in her own words. She stressed the critical need for reform by sharing heartbreaking tales of abuse, document confiscation, and exploitation. Pontillas demanded that the kafala system be abolished, migrant workers be covered by labor laws, and International Labour Organization Convention 189 be ratified to protect their rights.
Research Gaps and Pandemic Implications:
Gender activist and Asfari Foundation executive director Lina Abou Habib brought out two crucial issues: the lack of research and information about the care economy and the short- and long-term effects of the pandemic. She underlined the need for decolonizing research and moving the focus to practical aspects while drawing attention to the paucity of thorough studies on the care industry. The COVID-19 epidemic brought to light the critical nature of caregiving and the pressing need for funding. Habib also unveiled the Global Alliance for Care, a forum created to promote government spending on healthcare.
The representative from UNESCWA engaged in an informative discourse concerning the dissemination of their research and findings.
Ensuring Recognition and Ending Invisibility of Care Work:
The panelists talked about ways to bring care work into the spotlight and stop it from going unnoticed. Gielan El Messiri emphasized the significance of supporting the care economy, funding leave programs, and recognizing care services as significant social contributions with high ROI potential. MP Imaya Ezzedine underlined the necessity of post-legislative review, labor legislation revisions, and awareness-raising campaigns to combat stereotypes. Teresa Pontillas pushed for accountability and urged people to report human rights abuses, and Lina Abou Habib emphasized the importance of academic institutions working with civil society organizations to turn research into practical solutions.
Conclusion:
This conference provided a forum for discussing the urgent problems related to care work and gender inequality. The debates emphasized the necessity of swift policy changes, the need to abolish the oppressive Kafala system, and the importance of valuing care labor as a productive economic activity. Participants stressed the value of supporting the care economy, empowering women, and encouraging interaction among politicians, civil society organizations, and academic institutions. Together, society can endeavor to create a future that respects and upholds carers’ crucial labor, eventually advancing social justice and gender equality.