About ARM
The Anti-Racism Movement
The Anti-Racism Movement (ARM) was launched in 2010 as a grassroots collective by young Lebanese feminist activists in collaboration with migrant workers and migrant domestic workers, following a racist incident at one of Beirut’s most well-known private beach resorts (Sporting Club). ARM activists, using a hidden camera, filmed the administration’s blatant acts of discrimination and segregation. The video quickly spread online, and ARM’s efforts to bring this issue to light were lauded by many. Interest grew in this small volunteer-based movement, members increased, and our projects grew in scope and scale. In 2012, ARM became a registered NGO with full and part-time staff in order to increase its capacity to carry out more projects to fight racist discrimination and abuse in Lebanon. Building on our philosophy that recognizes the importance of community-building work, ARM created the Migrant Community Centers (MCCs) which grew from one small center in 2011 in Beirut to centers in three major cities by 2016, in addition to a Sunday educational space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Y6WU_zh9g
Our Mission
ARM’s mission
ARM’s mission is to decrease racist discrimination and abuse in Lebanon on the social and institutional levels by advocating for changes in the systems that perpetuate racist exploitative practices, through sensitization, awareness raising, advocacy, and community building for more just social and institutional frameworks in Lebanon. The main focus of this work is on migrant domestic workers and to a lesser extent on all migrant workers. The MCCs’ mission is to make meaningful improvements in the quality of life of migrant workers in Lebanon and their capacity to self-advocate to advance their socio-economic rights, and to contribute to a strong and powerful migrant civil society, with a focus on women as leaders of change.
Our main fields of intervention in Lebanon include organizing with migrant domestic workers (MDWs), migrant workers (MWs), Sudanese refugees, children of migrant domestic workers, relevant governmental ministries and policymakers, media institutions, schools, universities, civil society/international/intergovernmental organizations, local activists, and more broadly influencing the general population through our advocacy campaigns and activities. The main strategies we use in our intervention include: providing resources that sustain MDW community networks and support/empower MWs, MDW activists & MDW-centered initiatives; mobilizing collaboration between local activists and MDWs; developing strong advocacy activities and campaigns for structural change; and collaborating with media, researchers, and educational institutions against racist abuse and exploitation in Lebanon.
Theory of change
ARM’s theory of change
Our theory of change shifts the positionality of migrant workers from beneficiaries and recipients of services to leaders and agents of social change in Lebanon. The MCCs provide the space, tools, resources, and capacity for MWs to self-organize and lead awareness and rights-based campaigns in order to help end discrimination and exploitation, and guarantee protection, rights, and access to justice. In parallel, ARM’s advocacy efforts tackle social issues related to racism, and aim to shift social norms by stigmatizing undesirable attitudes and behaviors, and building support for policy change.
Our Teams
Meet the teams behind ARM
Advocacy & Communications
Migrant Community Center
Casework
Willing to help us change the world?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat
Join Our Team