Workers Day March in Beirut. April 30, 2017. Photo taken by Ezgi Durmaz. Source: Facebook. For the eighth year in a row, migrant domestic workers (MDWs) from many nations marched to demand their labor rights in Beirut, Lebanon on Sunday April 30, 2017. The march commemorated May Day or Labour Day, which fell on Monday, but as Sunday is the only day off for most migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, April 30 was the only option. Migrant domestic workers in the country are often mistreated. One worker from Madagascar, Julia, who was at the march, explained: We face a lot of problems. We don't have adequate rooms. We don't have holidays. We face violence, abuse. We are here for that and everything. The march was organized by The Alliance of Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon, which “aims to empower women who are MDWs in Lebanon in the quest for labor rights, and fight against discrimination.” Several Lebanese groups also helped organize the march. They include: The Anti-Racism Movement, the Migrant Community Center, the International Domestic Workers Federation, the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, AMEL Association International, ALEF – Act for Human Rights, KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation, Sawt al Niswa, the Intersectional Feminist Club of the Lebanese American University, the Secular Club at the American University of Beirut, the Socialist Forum (political organization), DAMMEH Feminist Cooperative and Insan Association. Global Voices contributor Hassan Chamoun was at the march. Participants walked and shouted slogans such as: “We are also humans” and “down with the Kafala system”, referring to the country's sponsorship system governing migrant domestic work. They also chanted: “All we are saying is, give us our rights”, a riff on John Lennon's song “Give Peace a Chance”. Another chant was “Ratify, implement convention 189!” referring to the convention written by the International Labor Organization. If implemented in Lebanon, this would mean that the government is legally bound to abide by labour laws and migrant domestic workers believe that this would at least alleviate the terrible working conditions in the country. Throughout the march, several migrant domestic workers watched from balconies, unable to join the march themselves. Some were waving at the protesters while others just looked on. Two photos taken by Pat Sy showing the contrast between reactions from migrant domestic workers. Source: Facebook. Speaking to Global Voices, many migrant domestic workers expressed their desire for Lebanon to recognize their rights. Miriam, a worker from the Philippines, said: Every year we ask about this so it's time to abolish [the kafala system].” This refers to the notorious sponsorship system, or “Kafala” in Arabic, which governs migrant domestic work in Lebanon. The Kafala system essentially binds a migrant domestic worker's legal status to his or her employee. As the advocacy organization Migrant-Rights.org explains, the set-up makes these workers vulnerable to abuse: Kafala is a system of control. In the migration context, it is a way for governments to delegate oversight and responsibility for migrants to private citizens or companies. The system gives sponsors a set of legal abilities to control workers: without the employer’s permission, workers cannot change jobs, quit jobs, or leave the country. If a worker leaves a job without permission, the employer has the power to cancel his or her residence visa, automatically turning the worker into an illegal resident in the country. Workers whose employers cancel their residency visas often have to leave the country through deportation proceedings, and many have to spend time behind bars. The march was also a celebration of the culture and heritage of MDWs in Lebanon. Flags of Ethiopia could be seen flown alongside flags representing the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Nepal and others. Workers Day March in Beirut. April 30, 2017. Photo taken by Pat Sy. Source: Facebook. Abdallah, a worker from Sudan, also declared “it is time to change the Kafala system”. A worker from the Ivory Coast said “we are maltreated here and we want a better life.” Another worker, from Sri Lanka, said that “we are not slaves, we want our rights”. And finally a worker from Bangladesh said, “We need freedom in Lebanon” while holding a sign on which was written: “Kafala System = 2017 Slavery”. As their arrived at their final meeting point, Beirut's Raouche neighborhood, protesters held three minutes of silence for those who lost their lives in Lebanon. It is estimated that migrant domestic workers in Lebanon take their own lives at least once a month due to the brutal working conditions.