Download the full report - Human Rights Watch

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Health and Safety monitoring: • What regulations has Qatar issued to protect workers’ safety on work sites (apart from provisions in the Labor Law)? What type of safety training, if any, does Qatari law require employers to provide workers? • Do labor inspectors monitor safety standards on worksites? If not, how does the government monitor and enforce health and safety standards? • The labor law requires employers to report employees’ workplace injuries or deaths to the police and the Labor Ministry. How many worker injuries and deaths were reported over the past three years? Can you provide data on worker injuries and deaths, with information on the types and causes of injuries and causes of deaths? Is data on worker injury and death publicly available? Labor complaints resolution and court claims: We understand that the Ministry of Labor arbitrates labor disputes through the Labor Complaints Department and, if necessary, refers them to the court. • How many labor complaints did the Ministry receive in 2009, 2010, and thus far in 2011? Can you provide data on the nature and resolution of complaints filed over the past three years? What percentage of cases resulted in awards or restitution to employees? How many cases were referred to court? • Can you provide data on the number of court cases filed against employers over the past three years, the number of cases dropped versus resolved, and the types of resolution achieved? • How many cases resulted in the imposition of fines and/or prison sentences against construction companies for violating the labor law? Please provide us any information regarding the amounts of fines, or other penalties imposed. • Article 10 of the labor law states that all lawsuits filed by workers under the labor law should be exempted from judicial fees. However, embassy officials and worker advocates consistently reported that workers had to deposit court fees or expert fees of up to 500 Qatari riyals (US$137) in order to pursue their claims. In how many labor cases were experts’ fees or court deposits paid, over the past three years? 103 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | JUNE 2012
Sponsorship-related problems: • Article 12 of Law No.4 of 2009 (the Sponsorship Law) states that the Ministry of Interior shall transfer the sponsorship of any expatriate worker on a temporary basis if there are suits filed between the sponsor and expatriate worker. How many such transfers did the Ministry of Interior authorize over the last three years? Are transfers automatically granted in all cases? If any transfers were denied, on what basis were they denied? • Article 12 also states that the Ministry of Interior may approve the transfer of sponsorship for any expatriate worker in the event of abuse by the employer, or on a discretionary basis. How many such transfers were requested during the last three years, and how many were granted? What were the primary reasons for refusal, in cases of refusal? Does the ministry make public its decisions and the basis for its decisions? Is this decision subject to appeal and judicial review? • How can workers whose employers have reported them as “absconding” regularize their status, in cases where employers have violated contract terms or abused their rights? Please do not hesitate to include any other materials, statistics, or information about government actions regarding the conditions of migrant workers in Qatar that you think might be relevant. Thank you in advance for your time in addressing this urgent matter. You can reach us by contacting Priyanka Motaparthy at motapap@hrw.org, telephone +1-212- 377-9420, or fax +1-212-736-1300. We look forward to being in touch as our work continues. Sincerely, Sarah Leah Whitson Executive Director Middle East and North Africa Division Human Rights Watch Cc: HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Hamidi, Minister of Social Affairs and Acting Minister of Labour HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of State for Interior Affairs HE Ali Bin Fahad Al-Hajri, Ambassador, Embassy of Qatar to the United States BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 104
Page 1 and 2:
H U M A N R I G H T S W A T C H Bui
Page 3 and 4:
Copyright © 2012 Human Rights Watc
Page 5 and 6:
To Construction, Labor-Supply, and
Page 7 and 8:
Based on interviews with 73 migrant
Page 9 and 10:
employers to ensure potable water,
Page 11 and 12:
whether they forfeit their rights i
Page 13 and 14:
Necessary Steps Qatar’s Governmen
Page 15 and 16:
secretary-general of FIFA, stated t
Page 17 and 18:
ather than directly by the companie
Page 19 and 20:
(above) Massive construction projec
Page 21 and 22:
(above) A migrant construction work
Page 23 and 24:
Hallway lights illuminate a worker
Page 25 and 26:
20 Building a better world cup
Page 27 and 28:
This Bangladeshi migrant worker tol
Page 29 and 30:
Migrant workers housed in Doha’s
Page 31 and 32:
26 Building a better world cup
Page 33 and 34:
Methodology Human Rights Watch cond
Page 35 and 36:
I. Background Qatar, a Gulf country
Page 37 and 38:
Meanwhile, migrant workers’ labor
Page 39 and 40:
labor is temporary. Once their job
Page 41 and 42:
“mandatory contract language and
Page 43 and 44:
of 2004 set a maximum prison term o
Page 45 and 46:
However, the lack of official compl
Page 47 and 48:
Even on its face, the Labor Law lac
Page 49 and 50:
The Sponsorship Law requires reside
Page 51 and 52:
Qatar has not ratified conventions
Page 53 and 54:
if they occur. 90 Former UN Special
Page 55 and 56:
usiness with subcontractors, suppli
Page 57 and 58: or who have learned of job opportun
Page 59 and 60: written agreements into real, effec
Page 61 and 62: offered himself voluntarily.” 114
Page 63 and 64: after their arrival), or penalizes
Page 65 and 66: The New Doha International Airport
Page 67 and 68: disciplinary purposes, and up to 50
Page 69 and 70: Qatar for three years, and that his
Page 71 and 72: people [have to share] one bathroom
Page 73 and 74: of 191 Nepali workers from all caus
Page 75 and 76: matters that the foreigner has to r
Page 77 and 78: Aspire Zone The Aspire Zone is the
Page 79 and 80: [an] emergency exit [from the count
Page 81 and 82: While their response also states th
Page 83 and 84: Qatar’s labor ministry has taken
Page 85 and 86: Without available translators or in
Page 87 and 88: would terminate the employment rela
Page 89 and 90: Qatar’s Sponsorship Law states th
Page 91 and 92: etween January 2009 and September 2
Page 93 and 94: notarized undertakings in workers
Page 95 and 96: • Ensure that courts reviewing la
Page 97 and 98: • Finance a public awareness camp
Page 99 and 100: Acknowledgements This report was re
Page 101 and 102: Qatar from charging workers fees, b
Page 103 and 104: interviewed for this report said th
Page 105 and 106: Qatar, local employers and recruitm
Page 107: Request for Information Human Right
Page 111 and 112: The administration has received no
Page 113 and 114: Regarding healthcare, it is well kn
Page 115 and 116: Qatari laws do not permit charging
Page 117 and 118: Qatar, which require the approval o
Page 119 and 120: 4. Asks the employer or his represe
Page 121 and 122: Regarding training, Article 99 of t
Page 123 and 124: Regarding the second question, on t
Page 125 and 126: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Avenue
Page 127 and 128: process of writing to relevant comp
Page 129 and 130: • arrange for independent monitor
Page 131 and 132: BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 126
Page 133 and 134: World Cup. We have enclosed a summa
Page 135 and 136: deception and the disparity between
Page 137 and 138: CH2M HILL Response to Human Rights
Page 139 and 140: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Avenue
Page 141 and 142: We would like to take this opportun
Page 143 and 144: Aspire Logistics Response to Human
Page 147 and 148: construction industry as a whole an
Page 149 and 150: • show that you have taken all po
show all

Download the full report - Human Rights Watch

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?