On Thursday, January 29, 2015, a delegation of leaders from Lebanon visited KARAMAH for an engaging discussion with Dr. Azizah al-Hibri and Aisha Rahman. The delegation ranged from military captains to research and advocacy officers. Each leader was united on one issue: to combat domestic violence and human trafficking.
During the conversation, KARAMAH staff advised the delegation of leaders on labor practices and civil rights. The leaders discussed the fact that domestic and agricultural workers are routinely denied rights in Lebanon. Unfortunately, there remains a lack of laws and policies that protect the rights of such workers, many of whom are immigrants from other counties. These workers hailing mainly from Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Nepal are exempt from the protection of labor laws. There is also a public awareness issue, many times propagated by censorship of any media materials that deem such workers as human beings. One of the delegates spoke about the mistreatment many domestic workers face including a lack of minimum wage, access to health care, and vacation time. In one case, during the war in Lebanon, families locked up the homes and fled, leaving the domestic workers unable to escape the house for the month. As a result, the delegation sought insight and consultation from KARAMAH in order to rectify the serious issue.
Meeting with the delegation underscored the reason why KARAMAH has a long record of interfaith work: simply advocating for the civil rights of one group is narrow in nature and longevity. During the meeting, the state of gender in the United States was discussed, giving both the delegation and KARAMAH an understanding for the state of gender issues both in the United States and abroad. Dr. al-Hibri spoke about the recent interfaith conference in Morocco, that brought in diverse leaders to build alliances and discuss gender-based issues.
It is becoming increasingly clear to KARAMAH and those around the world that there is a need to reframe the issues around trafficking and domestic violence. The two are separate issues, but possess roots that KARAMAH and similar organizations are working to attack at the core. By beginning to reform culturally-influenced issues around the topic, communities can begin to find clarity and empowerment.
Each of these delegations proves to remind us exactly what KARAMAH has left to pursue, and why we tackle the issues that we do. The delegations look to KARAMAH because our approach is unique, preferring a frank conversation around relevant, equitable topics rather than simply discussing theory. Our work in the field of domestic violence, human rights and trafficking is desperately needed, and each time a meeting wraps up, there are always several delegates surrounding our staff, asking for information on the scholarly resources we provide around the topics discussed.
This delegation, just as the ones that came before it, was educating and enlightening for KARAMAH. Speaking with and learning from People all over the world informs our work and ensures that we prioritize our work according to the needs of the community. KARAMAH hopes to continue to expand its network through these meetings.
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