Since 2010 when Qatar won the bid to host World Cup 2022, the issue of migrant workers rights topped reports on Qatar, and the country has remained under international scrutiny, motivated by skepticism trying to single Qatar out of the general situation of migrant workers in the region.
Qatar’s commitment to workers’ rights is based on its strong believe on its values, culture and ethics therefore it showed readiness before any other country in the region to fulfill every requirements in line with world standards and specifications. Qatar considers migrant workers significant partners of development process and has worked hard for years with different partners and concerned bodies to ensure decent life and well-being of workers by comprehensive legislative process.
In December 2016, Qatar abolished the Kafala system replaced it with contract system within the framework of law reforms which included a minimum wage for all workers, lifting exit permit restrictions, free movement of workers, setting up employee’s committees in workplaces, establishment of grievance committee, and committee for workers compensation. ILO, UN agencies and the International Trade Union Confederation (ICTU) welcomed the move and ILO in particular praised the new Qatar Labour Law No.13 of 2018 pertaining to ending the exit permit. Calls were made for neighbouring countries to take Qatar’s labour law reforms as a model.
Qatar Foundation (QF) adopted in 2012 a comprehensive Migrant Workers’ Charter (MWC) followed by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), which issued worker’s charter aimed at ensuring safety of workers, safe of occupational diseases, or injuries by creating a safe working environment for the thousands of expatriate workers who are and will be employed on various World Cup projects. As Qatar prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 for the first time in the region, the country is creating conducive work conditions for expatriate workers on priority basis.
Under the Qatari law no worker should bear the cost of recruitment fees; that cost should be borne by the contractor. Numerous workers were forced to pay recruitment fees in their home countries before moving to Qatar, despite the practice being illegal under Qatari law, said Mahmoud Qutub, Workers’ Welfare Executive Director at the SC, during a conference held on Sunday.
Thus labour law reforms have further enhancement workers’ rights pushing contractors engaged on 2022 FIFA World Cup projects to reimburse more than QR52.5m ($14.4m) to thousands of workers who paid recruitment fees prior to moving to Qatar. Additionally SC has other initiatives like grievance redressal mechanism for workers, nutrition program and initiative to develop the ‘AirCool’ suit –designed to minimise heat stress on construction sites.
According to Qutub Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup is helping to tackle the global issue of unethical recruitment and the SC has collaborated with local contractors to put money back in the pockets of workers.
