Who we are:
ARM is a grassroots movement created
by young activists in Lebanon, in collaboration with migrant community leaders.
Together we work on documenting, investigating, exposing and fighting racist practices
in Lebanon, through various initiatives and campaigns.
Our current efforts are mainly
targeted towards racism (and other discriminatory and exploitative practices)
against migrant workers, specifically. There are around 250,000 migrant workers
in Lebanon. For the most part, they are suffering from discriminatory labour
laws and practices, such as the sponsorship system, the exclusion of domestic
work from labour laws, the lack of monitoring and accountability in recruitment
agencies, arbitrary detention, and discriminatory policies imposed in
restaurants, banks, airlines, public transportation, tourist resorts and more.
Our Goal:
To make meaningful improvements in:
-
the lives of individual migrant workers in
Lebanon
-
the institutions that perpetuate racist and
exploitative practices (government, legal structure, ministries, agencies...)
-
the racist mentalities that prevail in Lebanon
We work on this through:
-
policy change
-
shifting mentalities and attitudes
-
direct assistance
Scope:
-
Issues involving
elements of racism and related forms of discrimination (classism, sexism, etc)
-
People mostly from
Asian and African origin, in Lebanon
Our work:
(Divided into 4 broad categories, with
examples of activities – not comprehensive, and not all currently on-going activities)
I.
Awareness Raising and Education (social aspect)
-
Video campaigns
-
Blog and facebook page,
including testimonials and stories from the field
-
Direct actions,
protests, etc.
-
Activities with
schools, universities, centers, etc.
à To help change the prevailing
mentality
II.
Promoting
Cultural Presence/Community (cultural aspect)
-
Migrant Communities Center (MCC)
-
Daycare Center
-
Celebrating culture:
o
Events
and celebrations (parades, music, food, etc)
o
Libumu
nights
o
Celebrating
various holidays (Ethiopian New Year...)
à To help create strong
social networks, AND to expose more people to these significant but largely
ignored communities in Lebanon
III.
Direct Assistance
(social work)
-
Cases of abuse, mistreatment…
-
Fundraising – on exceptional basis (for specific
beneficiaries, like prisoners in Tripoli)
à To assist individual
victims
IV.
Fighting the
sponsorship system and other institutionalized injustice (Legal/policy/structural
aspect)
-
Speaking up against the sponsorship system and
the single unified contract
-
Working on enforcing the bans
-
Direct actions, protests, etc.
à To help prevent
abusive practices
Our structure:
Free moving, no hierarchy, various ideas and motivations, people lead
or volunteer on anything they can/want, anyone can join or leave ARM at any
time.
For more information about the
Anti-Racism Movement:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ARMLeb
Twitter: @ARM_Leb
Location: Our workspace at Nasawiya Café: Mar Mikhael, Fleming Street, near Chaplin and Internazionale pubs, Mdawwar Bldg, Ground Floor
Migrant
Community Center: Nabaa, Under Bridge, Close to Armenian Evangelical
School and Dar El3ajaze. Ground Floor. Red windows and door.
To contact us:
Email: antiracismlb@gmail.com
Mobile: 76/350284
