Understanding the Kafala system - Part 2 Comparing Countries and possibilities for advocacy
Channel: GAATW IS
Date: 2019-09-09

The Kafala, or sponsorship, system is the immigration system governing the residence and rights of migrant workers in most countries in the Middle East. It is highly restrictive and often facilitates the exploitation and trafficking of migrant workers, especially migrant domestic workers. At the same time, there are many misconceptions about the system. To remedy this, the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women organised a webinar where Vani Saraswathi and Rima Kalush explain what exactly kafala is, and dispel some of the common myths about it. 
In this part Vani and Rima compare the provisions of Kafala in the different Middle Eastern countries and outline some opportunities for future advocacy to improve the system.