70 SECOND CLASS MIGRANTS Migrant domestic worker women and their children are often relegated to a second-class status due to their association with the Kafala system. They have to deal with a cumbersome and inaccessible birth registration process compared to other foreigners who also give birth in Lebanon. Migrant domestic worker women encounter significant challenges when attempting to register the birth of their children, primarily stemming from the lack of cooperation and involvement from their respective consulates on one hand, and from the Lebanese Law on the other. The birth registration process is both lengthy and expensive, involving the procurement of multiple ministerial signatures, in addition to paperwork typically held by their Kafeel or by the recruitment agency. Obtaining these documents is often impossible for MDWs and, given the hurdles in obtaining the required documentation, they sometimes choose to resort to different measures to prevent their children from becoming stateless. One commonly explored option is attempting to leave the country and register the child abroad, a no less complicated route. In fact, in-depth discussions with MDWs revealed a quite intricate in-country process for the option of registering the newborn abroad. 63% 10% of undocumented MDWs in Lebanon, are unable to register their children compared to Box 19. Birth registration process for foreigners in Lebanon The child's birth certificate and the parents' identification documents are all that are needed for foreigners to register their children who were born in Lebanon. The mukhtar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Interior are required to sign those. After the documents have been translated, they are sent to the respective embassy. “ 1. Insan Association (2016). The Case of Children of Migrant Workers in Lebanon. of documented MDWs who are unable to1 The problem isn’t simply the Kafala system, it’s the whole Lebanese law. Lebanese women can’t even stand up to men or register their kids, so imagine how we, migrants, get treated. — Kenyan mother to a nonregistered child © 2023 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.