ILO: Documentary films on gender equality in the world of work in Arab States

‘Women and the World of Work’ is a play list on the International Labour Organization (ILO) TV channel (YouTube). It features 14 videos about the contributions women make to their families, the communities in which they live, and economies; as well as the struggles they face, and injustices they suffer. ‘Maid in Lebanon I’ (the first of a two-part series) documents the experiences of Sri Lankan women who become domestic workers for wealthy families in Lebanon, a wave of migration dating back to 1973. Through interviews with family members, employers, hiring agents and specialists in the field, this film traces the journeys of women from Sri Lanka to Lebanon, exploring the question of why women migrate, and what happens to them when they do. Going to work as maids with the hope of securing a better economic future, they work for years to send money home. Many find themselves in exploitive and abusive situations, including non-payment of wages and subjected to torture, rape, physical and mental abuse. Since their experiences are hidden behind closed doors, little is known about them. This documentary reveals the immediate need for better legal protections both at home and abroad. ‘Maid in Lebanon II: Voices from Home’ portrays the complex relationship between Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers and the Lebanese households employing them. Shot on location in Lebanon and Sri Lanka, this documentary poses questions and makes recommendations regarding workers' rights, employment contracts as well as working terms and conditions. There are short and full versions of both Maid in Lebanon I and II, the latter of which accessible on the Women and the World of Work webpage. The short versions can be accessed via the links below. Another video in the collection is called, ‘Social Dialogue: Creating employment opportunities for Yemeni women’. In a traditional and deeply gender discriminatory context, this film describes improving perceptions about women working. It highlights the importance of social dialogue among government, trade unions and employers. To see the ILO TV Women and the World of Work collection listing (with video links) visit: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52393B3C2D2785CC&feature=plcpILO TV homepage: http://www.youtube.com/user/ILOTVResource links:Maid in Lebanon I (short version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rY91LCyY4sMaid in Lebanon II: Voices from Home (short version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94rO242G6dYSocial Dialogue: Creating employment opportunities for Yemeni women http://www.youtube.com/user/ILOTV#p/search/0/xb5iS3r3k8k