Here is a take a look at the rights problems with migrant staff in Qatar, which is internet hosting the 2022 World Cup from November 20-December 20. 18:
What is Qatar’s file on migrant staff’ rights?
* Qatar, the place most of its 2.9 million inhabitants are foreigners, has confronted intense criticism from human rights teams for its therapy of migrant staff.
* A 48-page report by Amnesty, Reality Check 2021, mentioned regardless of labor reforms in 2014, practices equivalent to withholding wages and charging staff to alter jobs have been nonetheless prevalent.
* Qatar’s authorities mentioned its labor system was nonetheless a piece in progress however denied studies that hundreds of migrant staff are being trapped and exploited within the 2022 World Cup host nation.
How many migrant staff have died in Qatar?
* Britain’s Guardian reported final yr that at the very least 6,500 migrant staff – a lot of them engaged on World Cup initiatives – had died in Qatar because it hosted the World Cup, in line with the paper’s calculations from official information. Right received.
* In response, Qatar mentioned the variety of deaths was proportionate to the dimensions of the migrant workforce, and included many non-manual staff, including that each life misplaced was a tragedy.
* Max Tunnen, head of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Qatar workplace, cautioned that figures on Qatari employee deaths are sometimes reported with out obligatory specifics.
* “The (parent) number includes all deaths in the migrant population … without discriminating between migrant workers and the general migrant population, let alone fatalities that resulted from occupational injuries,” the ILO mentioned.
* Qatari World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, mentioned there have been three work-related deaths and 37 non-work-related deaths amongst staff at World Cup 2022 venues.
* Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary-general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, mentioned in a TV interview with British journalist Piers Morgan that aired on 30 November that the variety of deaths of expatriate staff in World Cup-related initiatives was “between 400″. . and 500”.
* Qatar launched a piece security investigation into the dying of a Filipino, officers mentioned on 8 December, following studies that the person died whereas working at a coaching website in the course of the World Cup.
* The Philippines international ministry confirmed in an announcement that certainly one of its residents had died whereas working at a resort south of the capital, Doha.
What modifications has Qatar made in its labor legal guidelines?
* Qatar has modified its labor legal guidelines to get rid of its “kafala” sponsorship system, releasing staff from the necessity to search the visa-sponsoring employer’s permission to alter jobs or go away the nation.
* It additionally raised the minimal wage by 25% to 1,000 Qatari riyals ($274.65) a month, and utilized it to all staff, not simply Qataris.
* Qatar has arrange an insurance coverage fund to assist expatriates who’ve been defrauded of their wages.
How have soccer associations addressed this problem?
* Football associations from 10 European nations, together with England and Germany, wrote an open letter to FIFA forward of the World Cup calling on the world governing physique to take motion to enhance the rights of migrant staff in Qatar.
* A gaggle of 11 European soccer associations met with FIFA earlier this month, which mentioned the governing physique had reaffirmed assist for a everlasting ILO workplace in Doha that might assist and advise migrant staff.
* In September, England’s FA mentioned the households of migrant staff injured or killed in Qatar in the course of the development of infrastructure for this yr’s World Cup ought to be compensated.
* The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) mentioned this month that the shirts worn by the Netherlands staff in the course of the World Cup could be auctioned to assist migrant staff in Qatar.
* The Netherlands staff mentioned they’d additionally take time throughout their keep in Qatar to speak to the expatriates who helped construct the stadium for the World Cup.
What are the measures steered by rights teams?
* Amnesty and different rights teams have led a name for FIFA to compensate migrant staff in Qatar for human rights abuses by setting apart $440 million equal to World Cup prize cash.
* FIFA has mentioned it’s assessing the amnesty proposal and implementing “an unprecedented due diligence process with regard to the protection of the workers involved”.
* FIFA mentioned it was working with the organizing committee and had already compensated a number of staff.
* Amnesty has additionally outlined a 10-point motion plan for Qatar to “address serious gaps and remaining weaknesses in its labor reform process”.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
