U.N. Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination Issues Findings on Lebanon
The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has issued its findings on Lebanon.
The findings contain positive aspects of the country's implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination as well as the Committee's main concerns and recommendations.
Some of the key highlights include:
The Committee remained concerned about kafala, the sponsorship system that requires migrant workers, in particular domestic workers, to have a sponsor, usually their employer, who is responsible for their visa and legal status in Lebanon.
The system results in exploitation, in particular non-payment of wages, long working hours, confiscation of passports, as well as psychological and physical abuse.
CERD reiterated its recommendations that the State party abolish the sponsorship system and replace it with new labor regulations, based on standards set by the International Labor Organization.
In the light of rising racist hate speech against migrants and refugees, the Committee urged the State party to amend its legislation to prohibit hate speech and to step up its efforts to cooperate with Internet service providers and social media platforms to curb the spread of racist and abusive messages online.
CERD was concerned about refugees, in particular Syrians, who have been victims of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment in detention centers or refugee camps.
The Committee urged the State party to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are not detained arbitrarily and that all alleged cases of torture or ill-treatment are investigated and all perpetrators are prosecuted accordingly.
Source: Naharnet
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