Beyond Kafala! Employers' discriminatory attitudes and violations of the rights and freedoms of women migrant domestic workers in Lebanon.

This article examines the role of Lebanese employers in shaping the lived experience and meaning of the Kafala sponsorship system, which governs the recruitment and employment of women migrant domestic workers (WMDWs) in Lebanon. Using mixed-methods data from 2015, the study finds that while employers' knowledge of Kafala and the Lebanese standard contract modestly improves compliance with certain labor rights (such as salary payment and granting a day of rest), discriminatory attitudes and financial interests more strongly predict practices that violate workers' rights, including withholding passports, restricting movement, and locking workers inside homes. Recruitment agencies also play a significant role in influencing employer behavior, often perpetuating exploitative norms. The article suggests that advocacy efforts should focus less on abstract calls to abolish Kafala and more on addressing employer discrimination and limiting recruitment agencies' power to improve the rights and freedoms of WMDWs in Lebanon.