An FES and Asfari Institute AUB Collaboration

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Asfari Institute of Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut co-organized a multi-stakeholder panel discussion on the status of labor rights in today’s Lebanon. As we gear towards the celebration of International Labor Day on May 1^st, 2024, Lebanon is witnessing an unprecedented multi-layered crisis that carries several intersecting dimensions namely the country’s economic collapse and heightened military insecurity amidst yet another protracted political stalemate. This event did shed light on the current status, challenges, and potential solutions regarding labor rights in Lebanon with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable communities in the country.

The event was in the form of an interactive panel discussion which served as a platform for dialogue and exchange among experts, stakeholders, activists, and the wider community engaged with issues related to rights and entitlements.

The discussion highlighted the labor struggles lived by 4 different groups of workers from different vulnerable backgrounds: the contracted teachers, domestic workers, workers with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA+ community.

The discussion extended to explore avenues for collective action, stressing on the significance of solidarity and unionization in addressing the multifaceted crises affecting labor rights.

This panel discussion represents a crucial step towards fostering dialogue, raising awareness, and advocating for meaningful change in the realm of labor rights in Lebanon. As such, we foresee the co-creation of an issue brief as well as a policy brief to guide the future collaboration of the co-organizing parties.