Female Sri Lankan Domestic Workers in Lebanon: A Case of ‘Contract Slavery"

Abstract

Lebanon has been one of the major receiving countries of women as domestic labour migrants from Sri Lanka since the 1990s. The remittance received by the country through these workers constitutes one of the single largest sources of foreign income to the country, and thus the Sri Lankan government, has actively encouraged such migration. However, much attention is being now paid to the abuse and exploitation faced by these women, which is tantamount to Slave labour. Through interviews with women living in Lebanon, an insight into their living conditions, and treatment metered out by their employers have been gained, and this has brought out the fact that legal and administrative arrangements available to these women have totally failed to alleviate the problems faced by them.