EVER since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the State of Qatar has taken a number of measures to safeguard the rights of its workers. The authorities have moved swiftly, not only to protect the workforce from the coronavirus infection but also from the adverse economic effects of the pandemic which are unfolding around the globe. Qatar has looked after its workers — as well as the visitors, residents and citizens — really well, by providing state-of-the-art healthcare to all.
Diplomats, observers and UN representatives have praised the country’s healthcare system which discriminates against no one. At the same time, the government has ensured that workers who have been quarantined as a precautionary step are paid regularly every month. Those in quarantine or outside are being provided with all the necessities including food, lodging and personal hygiene stuff. The government has slashed working hours in many sectors and implemented stringent safety and hygiene rules to protect the workers from the coronavirus. Around 80 percent of the workforce in most public and private offices is now working remotely, as per the guidelines issued by the authorities. The government has also taken steps to ensure that all workers, even if they are working from home, continue receiving all the wages and benefits they were getting before the epidemic.
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs has also said in its guidelines that the number of teleworking hours should not exceed the average that was previously applied at the workplace. At the same time, the Government of Qatar has briefed ambassadors and representatives of the UN agencies about the steps it has taken to fight the coronavirus pandemic and safeguard workers’ rights. On Tuesday, labour attaches from the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Tunisia as well as leaders from expatriate communities praised the efforts made by Qatari authorities to safeguard the workers’ rights. The State’s strategy to deal with the pandemic, particularly in the Industrial Area, where several infection cases were detected early on, has been very effective. The reopening of some of the streets which were closed in the Industrial Area as a precautionary measure shows the success of the strategy implemented by the government. It shows the country is slowly but surely turning the tide on the coronavirus.
