Fleeing the extreme poverty of their countries, millions of African and Asian women fly every year to Middle-Eastern countries to work as domestic workers. Often seen as financial Eldorados, these countries host some of the highest percentages of migrant workers in the world. This phenomenon hit Lebanon about 20 years ago, at the end of the Civil War (1975-1990). Today, Lebanon counts more than 200 000 migrant worker on its territory. According to Najla Chahda, director of the Migrants' Center of Caritas in Lebanon, in 2009, the Lebanese Ministry of Labor delivered 145 000 working permits (around 50 000 more of them working illegally) to migrant workers recruited by placement agencies. 78% of the permits were granted to women employed as domestic workers (nannies, housekeepers, etc.) mainly coming from Ethiopia, Madagascar, Philippine and Sri Lanka. 

This reports shows the unseen reality of domestic workers with their families and communities in Lebanon.