Access to justice for Ethiopian migrant domestic workers
Unveiling legal, structural, and gendered violence in Lebanon
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13076535 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Banchi Yimer, Tsigereda Birhanu, Francisca Ankrah, Debora Asfaw, Omar Taleb, J L Diab (0000-0003-4158-7728, Lebanese American University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Pages | 1486769-1486769 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-11 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-7775 • E-ISSN: 2297-7775 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1486769 |
| PMID | 40292003 |
| OpenAlex | W4409376811 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 16 |
This study investigates the barriers to legal access faced by Ethiopian migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Lebanon, highlighting the legal violations they endure. The research encompasses all phases of criminal cases, from initial investigations to trial and verdict issuance. Utilizing a diverse methodology, the study draws on a sample of judgments from Egna Legna Besidet's Legal Program, qualitative interviews with 66 Ethiopian MDWs, and insights from 10 key informants and five legal experts. Ethical considerations, including a trauma-informed approach and thorough anonymization, were paramount. Findings reveal that MDWs encounter systemic injustices and insurmountable barriers within the Lebanese legal system, exacerbated by societal prejudices, exorbitant recruitment fees, language barriers, and limited legal awareness. The Kafala sponsorship system and restrictive immigration policies further hinder their legal navigation. Discriminatory attitudes, lack of legal safeguards, and inadequate support from embassies and consulates perpetuate a cycle of exploitation and abuse. The initial investigation stage is fraught with coercion and procedural violations, while trials and verdicts often lack fairness and adequate evidence. The study calls for comprehensive legal reforms, better enforcement of existing laws, accessible information, legal aid, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to dismantle these barriers and ensure justice for MDWs
Coercion (linguistics · Criminal justice · Criminology · Domestic violence · Economic Justice · Immigration · Law enforcement · Legitimacy · Poison control · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Law · Medicine · Middle East Politics and Society · Migration, Refugees, and Integration · Sex work and related issues
Justifying abuse of women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon
Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex
Legal pluralism, social theory, and the state
The gender dimensions of sexual violence against migrant domestic workers in post-2019 Lebanon
Legal Pluralism in Theory and Practice
The Paper that you Have in Your Hand is My Freedom”
Intimate Counter‐Spaces of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon 1
Mapping the Margins
Violence, Peace, and Peace Research
Immobilisation of migrant domestic worker women and their children born in Lebanon
The Familiar Tune of Refugee, Migrant, and Displaced Worker Exploitation in the Lebanese Labour Market
From 'Balcony Talk' and 'Practical Prayers' to Illegal Collectives
| Citations per year | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |