By Andrew Warshaw
November 15 – A leading United Nations official has called on Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers to use the tournament to improve the conditions of migrant workers. Qatar has the highest ratio of migrants to citizens in the world: nearly 88% of the total population are foreign workers, employed largely in construction, services and domestic work.
At the end of his first official visit to the country to assess the human rights situation, François Crépeau, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, said: “I hope the 2022 World Cup will be used as an opportunity for Qatar to enhance the effective respect, protection and fulfilment of the rights of migrant workers.”
He also called on the government, which is already investigating allegations of widespread mistreatment of migrants, notably Nepalese, to create a more positive image of them.
“Migrants undertake important jobs in the country, are an essential part of Qatar’s economic success, and deserve to see their dignity and rights protected on par with that of citizens,” Crepeau said.
“The vast majority of migrants in Qatar are in the country at the government’s invitation, and they have received work permits in order to fill labour needs, which are largely created by Qatar’s booming economy, massive construction projects, and widespread reliance on domestic workers.”
Crepeau welcomed new legislation under which it is illegal for sponsors to confiscate passports. However, he noted the need for effective enforcement of this since the practice still appears to be widespread.
He also warned that the 2004 labour laws, whilst ensuring some safeguards, does not provide for a minimum wage, bans migrants from forming organisations and from collective bargaining, and excludes domestic workers. ”Many of the migrants I met with had paid recruitment fees in their home countries in order to be able to travel to Qatar,” he noted. “I urge Qatari authorities to work together with countries of origin to ensure that migrants arrive in Qatar debt free.”
The Special Rapporteur also called on Qatar “to thoroughly pursue its review of the kafala sponsorship system,” the controversial policy that allows employees to leave the country only if given permission, and ties them to a single employer.
“Migrants who ‘run away’ from abusive employers should not be detained and deported,” he stressed.
“Ultimately,” Crépeau said, “abolishing the kafala system and replacing it by a regulated open labour market, where the work permit allows the worker to change employer, will solve these issues, as well as ensure the mobility of labour and a better match of needs and skills.”
Crépeau noted that the majority of the women in Qatar’s deportation centre had ‘run away’ from abusive employers, particularly the domestic workers, and wanted to return to their countries of origin. “It is very unlikely that they present any risk of absconding,” he said.
“Accommodating such women in open shelters, instead of building a new ward for women at the deportation centre, would provide a much better and cheaper solution. Similarly, children should never find themselves in detention: migrant women with children should always be hosted in shelters.
“In the central prison, there were several women who were sentenced to one year prison for ‘adultery’ for having a baby while being unmarried. These women thus live in the prison with their babies, in conditions which are in clear violation of the principle of the best interests of the child.”
During his eight-day visit, Crepeau met with Government officials, representatives of the diplomatic community, the National Human Rights Committee, foundations, academics, as well as migrants themselves.
He will present a comprehensive report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014.
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