© Sunday, Myriam Boulos — © *Sunday*, Myriam Boulos

Over the past weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement is witnessing unforeseen momentum and support with protests in all fifty states as well as in other parts of the world, whether it be Berlin, Paris or London. People are angry and taking a stand together against a patriarchal system that innately discriminates against people of colour. Their goal is to end police brutality and defund police departments. This time is proving challenging and pivotal, igniting a fire in us to encourage and push for change, as it is no longer possible to turn a blind eye to the injustice we live in.

As a Lebanese woman living in New York City, I cannot pretend that racism does not exist in the Arab region; I have frequently witnessed it firsthand. Lebanon implements the Kafala system, an exploitative employment framework controlling migrant workers primarily in the construction and domestic sectors. This neo-slavery system emerged in the 1950s in West Asian countries to regulate the relationship between employers and migrant workers. Seventy years later, it is still being practiced in Gulf Region countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan. All workers are legally tied to their sponsor or “kafeel” for their contract periods, during which their employers are fully responsible for their immigration status. This constitutes an abuse of human rights as the worker needs the explicit written consent of their employer in order to enter the country, leave the country or transfer employment. This often translates in taking away their passports, long working hours with no days off, irregular payments of salaries, hostile treatment providing inadequate accommodation and access to food or freedom of movement and communication. This system blocks domestic competition for overseas workers in the Gulf countries and can resemble modern-day slavery.

In a powerful series entitled ‘Sunday’, Lebanese born photographer Myriam Boulos captured the only day of the week during which migrant workers are not confined to their employers’ houses. Whether going to the beauty parlour, getting their hair done, or visiting places of worship, they experience a semblance of real life.

In light of current protests voicing a collective world-wide rage, topped off with the dire unparalleled economic crisis in Lebanon, this issue is now more relevant than ever. Having no more money to pay off their salaries, workers are getting kicked out of their employers’ houses and have been amassing in front of the Ethiopian embassy without access to food or shelter. This extremely harsh reality they live in constitutes a complete loss of their dignity and rights. In total absence of help from the government or their embassies, Lebanese citizens have taken the matter into their own hands to help them. NGOs such as Egna Legna are dedicated to providing housing, food and assistance to return to their home country.

No matter where you are in the world, racism is still very much alive and exists in many shapes and forms. In difficult times like these, it is heartening to see humanity come together to denounce social issues and fight for change. When we cannot count on our governments, we can count on the power found in unity and use our voices to advocate for an end to social and racial injustices.