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Human Rights Watch is currently preparing a report on the conditions of migrant workers in Qatar’s construction industry, in light of the extensive construction needed to provide facilities and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup. We have enclosed a summary of relevant research findings from our upcoming report for your reference. Our research examined the construction industry as a whole and found that abusive practices of the kind we have documented elsewhere in the Gulf are also prevalent in Qatar. As described in the enclosed summary, we found that key factors trap migrant workers in Qatar in exploitative jobs: the exorbitant recruitment fees that nearly all of the workers we interviewed had paid in order to obtain their jobs; and the restrictive kafala (sponsorship) system that prevents workers from changing jobs or leaving the country without a sponsoring employer’s permission. In addition, there is an inadequate legal and regulatory framework to protect workers’ rights. Most notably, Qatari law prohibits migrant workers from forming trade unions, in violation of these workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, and the government fails to enforce adequately current laws that, at least on paper, are meant to protect worker rights. In some cases, the exploitation and coercive circumstances in which workers found themselves amounted to conditions of forced labor or human trafficking, as defined under international law. We are aware that the Aspire Zone is home to Al Khalifa International Stadium, a proposed site for World Cup matches included in Qatar’s winning bid. We note that, as described on the company’s website, Aspire Logistics is “responsible for supporting the activities of Aspire Zone by…building, operating and managing high quality international standard sport facilities,” as per your website, and that Emiri Decree number 1 for the year 2008 designated Aspire Logistics “the custodian company of the sports precinct.” We therefore wish to draw your attention to the fact that we interviewed construction workers working at the Aspire Zone who alleged that their rights were not respected. The workers we interviewed at the Aspire Zone did not claim to be in the employ of Aspire Logistics and asked us not to identify their employer for fear of reprisal. We cite the workers’ interviews in our forthcoming report as illustrative of the issues that arise in the construction sector in Qatar, including in connection with World Cup-related work sites. In this case, we interviewed construction workers we met at the Aspire Zone during our June 2011 visit to Qatar, including a group of seven Nepali workers who said that their employer had not paid them for three and a half months, and that they wanted to return home to Nepal. They said that their sponsoring employer demanded money in exchange for granting them permission to leave, and that because he held their passports, they were reluctant to quit and attempt to return home. All of the workers had paid recruitment fees, and none had their passports, though they said they had asked their employer to return these documents. 135 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | JUNE 2012
We would like to take this opportunity to open a dialogue with your company, and to engage with Aspire Logistics about our human rights concerns in relation to migrant workers in the construction industry in Qatar. In particular, we would appreciate your response to the following questions, as well as any additional information you wish to provide. • In view of the complaints raised by workers we interviewed in the Aspire Zone and the role of Aspire Logistics in managing that site, can you please clarify whether companies involved in construction at the site have a contractual relationship with Aspire Logistics? • We would also welcome information on how Aspire Logistics ensures that contractors and subcontractors on the site uphold labor rights. Have any similar allegations come to your attention previously? If so, how have you responded? If not, how would you respond? • More generally, given the findings of our research on the construction industry in Qatar as a whole, we would welcome information on policies that Aspire Logistics has in place to address workers’ rights, as well as measures you are taking to implement these policies. • In particular, given the high recruitment fees many workers pay and Qatar’s current sponsorship laws, both of which leave workers vulnerable to conditions of forced labor and human trafficking that are penalized under Qatari law, what approach does Aspire Logistics take to addressing worker payment of recruitment fees? Do you take proactive steps to ensure that workers do not pay these fees at any point in their migration chain? Alternatively, does Aspire reimburse workers in cases where they have paid fees, or require its contractors to do so? Please describe. In light of our research documenting the prevalence of abusive conditions for workers in Qatar’s construction industry, we strongly encourage all companies in that industry, including yours, to publicly pledge to respect the rights of all workers associated with their projects and to undertake concrete measures to prevent, mitigate and address abuses of worker rights. The specific measures we recommend include action by companies, including yours, to: • arrange for independent monitoring of workers’ conditions on their projects or projects under their supervision, and issue public reports on workers’ conditions, including worker injuries and deaths; BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 136
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H U M A N R I G H T S W A T C H Bui
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Copyright © 2012 Human Rights Watc
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To Construction, Labor-Supply, and
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Based on interviews with 73 migrant
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employers to ensure potable water,
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whether they forfeit their rights i
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Necessary Steps Qatar’s Governmen
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secretary-general of FIFA, stated t
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ather than directly by the companie
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(above) Massive construction projec
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(above) A migrant construction work
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Hallway lights illuminate a worker
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20 Building a better world cup
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This Bangladeshi migrant worker tol
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Migrant workers housed in Doha’s
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26 Building a better world cup
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Methodology Human Rights Watch cond
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I. Background Qatar, a Gulf country
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Meanwhile, migrant workers’ labor
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labor is temporary. Once their job
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“mandatory contract language and
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of 2004 set a maximum prison term o
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However, the lack of official compl
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Even on its face, the Labor Law lac
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The Sponsorship Law requires reside
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Qatar has not ratified conventions
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if they occur. 90 Former UN Special
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usiness with subcontractors, suppli
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or who have learned of job opportun
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written agreements into real, effec
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offered himself voluntarily.” 114
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after their arrival), or penalizes
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The New Doha International Airport
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disciplinary purposes, and up to 50
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Qatar for three years, and that his
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people [have to share] one bathroom
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of 191 Nepali workers from all caus
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matters that the foreigner has to r
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Aspire Zone The Aspire Zone is the
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[an] emergency exit [from the count
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While their response also states th
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Qatar’s labor ministry has taken
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Without available translators or in
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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 and 108: Request for Information Human Right
Page 109 and 110: Sponsorship-related problems: • A
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
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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
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Page 131 and 132: BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 126
Page 133 and 134: World Cup. We have enclosed a summa
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Page 137 and 138: CH2M HILL Response to Human Rights
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Page 143 and 144: Aspire Logistics Response to Human
Page 147 and 148: construction industry as a whole an
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