A Child Protection Assessment: Migrant Workers and their children in Lebanon

December 17, 2010

News

Terre des hommes and Insan Association published recently a child protection assessment report on migrant workers and their children in Lebanon.

The objectives of the assessment were to:

• Identify the most vulnerable and at risk population of migrant workers
• Establish what migrant children do in their free time
• Examine how current formal and informal structures, systems and actors are
working to protect children from the identified risks
• Identify what formal and informal systems are in place to protect children of migrant workers
• Examine how children of migrants protect themselves

Parents spoke of children regularly being exposed to discrimination and racism from the Lebanese society mainly due to their parents’ social status. In Lebanon, migrant domestic workers are considered servants and are looked upon as slaves rather than employees. This stereotype is then reflected on how the children are treated by other Lebanese children in the schools and in their neighborhoods.

“My kids came home very upset and said that they were being picked on in the school so I went to the school to speak with the director and she told me that she could do nothing because they have a lot of kids in the school.”
Amina, Sudanese migrant and mother

In turn, those children suffering form racially-motivated discrimination can become reclusive, accentuating their already marginalized status in Lebanese society.

“Our kids were constantly being beaten by Lebanese kids in the school so now they refuse to attend.”
Touna, Sudanese migrant worker and father

When the report is published online, we will share the link.

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Tags :
Children,Migrant,Racism,Report
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