[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]
LEBANON (Tier 2 Watch List) – Extracted in
part from the U.S. State Dept
2023 TIP Report
The Government
of Lebanon does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. These efforts
included modestly increasing investigations and continuing to allow an NGO
to screen for trafficking among detained migrants in the government
detention center. However, the government did not demonstrate overall
increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, even
considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its
anti-trafficking capacity. Lebanon had a caretaker government during the
reporting period and faced a strike in the judicial sector along with
widespread work stoppages throughout the civil service, which limited the
government’s ability to establish effective anti-trafficking policies
and impacted anti-trafficking efforts. Compared to the scale of the problem
in Lebanon, the government’s efforts to identify and protect
trafficking victims remained woefully inadequate. The government entirely
relied on NGOs and civil society to provide shelter and services to
trafficking victims and did not report providing financial or in-kind
support to those organizations. The parliament did not approve a labor law
amendment, pending since 2009, that would extend legal protections to all
foreign workers, nor did it approve a draft standardized contract for
migrant workers for the third consecutive year. The government did not
implement formal victim identification and referral procedures, which resulted
in potential unidentified victims facing arrest, detention, or deportation
for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.
Lebanon’s visa sponsorship system continued to create vulnerabilities
for the exploitation of migrant workers and remained a significant
impediment to authorities identifying and protecting trafficking victims;
the government did not take any steps to reform the visa sponsorship system
despite the extreme vulnerabilities to trafficking inherent in the system.
Although it is a prevalent form of trafficking in Lebanon, the government
has rarely convicted traffickers for exploiting workers in domestic
servitude. The government resumed policies previously suspended during the
pandemic, such as requiring notarized employer approval for migrant workers
to change employers, which increased migrant workers’ vulnerability
to trafficking. Therefore Lebanon was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List.
Prioritized Recommendations
Finalize
and implement government-approved procedures for officials to identify trafficking
victims among vulnerable populations, such as undocumented or detained
migrants, women holding artiste visas, domestic workers, and Syrian
refugees, for referral to protection services.
Increase
efforts to ensure trafficking victims are not inappropriately arrested,
detained, or deported solely for unlawful acts they committed as a direct
result of being trafficked, such as immigration or
“prostitution” violations.
Enact
the labor law amendment extending legal protections to all foreign workers,
including domestic workers and artiste visa holders, and approve the draft
standardized contract for migrant workers as initially submitted to the
State Shura Council in 2020.
Strengthen
and expand efforts to reform the visa sponsorship system to ensure all
foreign workers, including domestic workers, are not bound to abusive
employers, and allow workers full freedom of movement, including by
permanently waiving previous employer approval requirements for workers to
change employers.
Increase
investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of perpetrators of all forms
of trafficking, including domestic servitude, and investigate for potential
trafficking crimes employers and recruitment agents who withhold
workers’ passports, travel documents, or wages.
Ensure
provisions are available to victims for legal alternatives to their removal
to countries in which they would face retribution and hardship.
Increase
efforts to train judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and
diplomatic personnel on trafficking and application of the anti-trafficking
law.
Screen
all domestic workers in detention centers for trafficking indicators and
refer victims to care.
Switch
artiste visa holders, a visa program that contributes to the vulnerability
of women to and may facilitate sex trafficking, to temporary work visas
that ensure full labor protections and freedom of movement under Lebanese
law.
Ensure
the judiciary coordinates with the Directorate of General Security (DGS) to
consistently apply the anti-trafficking law by granting temporary residency
permits for trafficking victims and allowing victims to work.
Continue
to work in partnership with NGOs to screen for, identify, and provide
protection services – including witness support during criminal
proceedings – for all victims.
Increase
efforts to raise public awareness of trafficking, including exploitation of
migrant domestic workers.
Formally
establish the victim assistance fund.
Adopt
and implement the NAP.
Improve
the judiciary’s capacity to collect, compile, and track data and
outcomes of trafficking cases from all court.
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