Qatar’s rapid economic growth and infrastructure development in recent decades has attracted millions of migrant workers from South Asia, Middle East and Africa. Home to a large expatriate population, Qatar has undertaken extensive reforms of its labour sector laws and regulations in a bid to protect migrant workers from exploitation and ensure their rights. In fact, Qatar’s endeavours have been acknowledged by human rights groups and international bodies including the United Nations.
This week a European parliamentary delegation visited Qatar, where they visited a labour camp and a World Cup stadium, and met officials from the Ministry of Labour, the National Human Rights Committee and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. The delegation comprising lawmakers from the UK, France, Romania, Italy, Serbia, Finland and Ireland lauded Qatar’s extensive labour reforms, transparency and promotion of workers’ rights. The European MPs acknowledged that labor sector reforms have been implemented, noting advances in safety practices, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 preparations, and commitment to continuous implementation of reforms after the tournament. The delegation acknowledged huge progress made between 2010 and now as well as transparency in their interactions with Qatari officials. A delegation member said some media reports of high mortality rate of construction workers were not true.
Some highlights of Qatar’s work for workers’ welfare include abolition of exit permit requirement to leave the country; doing away the need for employer permission to change job; setting a minimum wage; and establishment of 20 visa centres in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines and Tunisia to protect workers from exploitation during the recruitment process. Qatar has also established a Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund which will ensure and provide care for workers, guarantee their rights and provide a healthy and safe working environment. The minimum wage of QR1,000 is in addition to QR500 per month for accommodation and QR300 per month for food unless provided by the employer.
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said, “The State of Qatar has pursued a consistent policy to protect and promote human rights, on the basis of our Arab and Islamic principles that uphold human values, and are keen to honour our commitment in this respect at the national and international levels to defend individual and collective rights and respect for human rights and dignity. Qatar has made significant achievements in terms of workers’ rights and work conditions in coordination with the International Labour Organization.”
