As a part of its full commitment to international standards that guarantee stable living condition and secure labour environment Qatar is applying fair labor legislations that protect workers’ rights which is a moral and religious pillar for the people of Qatar. Reasserting the importance of ensuring labour laws and its effective enforcement, Qatar is working with various local and international stakeholders.
In order to fulfil these objectives, Qatar signed an agreement in November 2017 with the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO) to introduce minimum wage, set up a committee to address labor disputes, establish a fund for workers’ support and insurance and end exit permits for expatriate workers. So far Qatar has fully met all of these requirements and on the ground others more, because Qatar believes that, reforms which started with a series of amendments on laws and steps to protect of workers’ rights is not a one time job, but it is a journey, a work that should be done in steps and achievements that need to be accumulated and fully enjoyed by the target groups.
For this purpose Qatar is also working closely with ILO Project Office in Doha, and its officials believe that Qatar has made great progress with regards to labour reforms.
However Amnesty International in its latest report titled “Reality Check” mentioned that despite measures taken there are many things that need to be done. “The Qatari authorities have been taking some important steps to protect labour rights, but much more needs to be done,” said Stephen Cockburn, Amnesty’s deputy director of global issues. Qatar has welcomed Amnesty International’s continued interest and scrutiny of labour systems in Qatar and the wider region, reassuring its commitment to protection of works rights, but the stakeholders need to be aware of the fact that labour reforms is “a journey and not an end in itself”.
In response to Amnesty’s report the Government Communications Office (GCO) said “From the outset, we have said that we understood labour reform would be a journey and not an end in itself. We have publicly stated, and restate here, our commitment to labour reforms so that Qatar would have a suitable labour system that is fair to employers and employees alike.”
The statement added that “Far from seeing time as running out, the Government of the State of Qatar understands further change is needed and we remain committed to developing these changes as quickly as possible, while ensuring they are effective and appropriate for our labour market conditions. Practical, efficient and lasting change takes time and that is what we have committed to,” GCO stressed. According to the statement, the government is strictly implementing the provisions of the laws and has punished individuals or companies who fail to adhere to laws and 11,994 companies were penalized or banned from operating in the first half of 2018.
GCO stressed that Qatar will continue to engage and work with governments, international organizations, and NGOs, as partners and advisors on labour reforms.
