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Latitude Adjustment Podcast’s Helpful Links and Resources: The Kafala System
Latitude Adjustment Podcast co-hosts Laila Mokhiber and Eric Maddox facilitated this panel discussion with guests in Beirut, Kuwait, and India, to discuss the conditions of migrant workers under the infamous Kafala system.
The Kafala or “sponsorship” system is used throughout the Gulf countries (as well as in Jordan and Lebanon) to monitor and to organize migrant laborers, from recruitment abroad to their management upon arrival, and particularly in the construction and domestic work sectors. Under the Kafala system a migrant worker’s presence in a host country is linked entirely to their employer, with the effect that it’s not only difficult or impossible to switch jobs, but all elements of their daily lives from access to their passports, to their freedom of movement, their living conditions, their ability to leave the country, and their basic dignities are all controlled by their employer. And there is often little to no regulation put in place to protect workers against exploitation and abuse. And abuse has been rampant for decades, from the sexual harassment and rape of domestic workers to squalid living conditions and work without pay for construction workers and manual laborers.
This dirty secret is often hidden inside of people’s homes or in isolated camps, and workers are rightly fearful of speaking out, so it is often very difficult to cover and to expose the abuses. For this reason we ask that you not only witness the brave testimony of our guests but that you share this post on your own social media space in order to amplify their voices, especially at a moment when coronavirus and economic crisis have led to a worsening of conditions for workers under this system. Also, be sure to check out Episode 49 where we discussed this topic in detail with Vani Saraswathi.