69 UNDERLYING CAUSES Non-registration of children born to migrant domestic worker mothers can be attributed to four main causes: non-registered marriages, birth out of wedlock, the absence of the father, or nonconsensual relationships. These arise due to the legal framework governing the work of these women, rendering them more susceptible to such circumstances. Through focus group discussions (FGDs) with MDWs, four significant reasons for the non-registration of children were uncovered. 1. The first cause revolves around non-registered marriages. These are unions recognized religiously by a Sheikh but lacking official certification from the state. As a result, parents are unable to register their children as legitimate. 2. The second cause encompasses children born out of wedlock. This includes various forms of casual relationships outside of marriage, as well as children born as a result of the mother’s involvement in sex work. Such cases also often involve the absence of the father, which further complicates the registration process, if it is even possible. 3. The absence of the father is the third cause for child non-registration. During the focus group discussions, several women stated that their partners abandoned them upon learning about the pregnancy, while others mentioned their partners being imprisoned. 4. The fourth cause of non-registration arises from nonconsensual relationships, namely rape. Recent reports suggest that nearly 70% of migrant domestic workers who have experienced sexual harassment reported being abused by their male employers1. Unfortunately, due to their exclusion from Lebanon’s sexual harassment law, there is little accountability in these cases. Consequently, sexual violence against them continues to persist. “ It is horrible that I cannot register my child under my own name. How is [being registered as a] ‘child of rape’ the only alternative? He is my son, plain and simple. — Kenyan mother to a nonregistered child Box 18. Sexual harassment law 205 in Lebanon In 2020, Lebanon passed sexual harassment Law 205, which criminalizes sexual violence towards Lebanese individuals. However, this law fails to mention MDWs, which gives space to more abuse towards them, with no accountability. This being said, it has been shown that 68% of MDWs in Lebanon have faced sexual violence in the past few years. 1. Diab, J. L., Yimer, B., Birhanu, T., Kitoko, A., Gidey, A., & Ankrah, F. (2023). The gender dimensions of sexual violence against migrant domestic workers in post-2019 Lebanon. © 2023 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.