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(above) A couple enjoys a view of the hazy sunset behind Doha’s massive downtown from the Corniche. Migrant construction workers are often prohibited from entering the Corniche and nearby parks on Fridays, their only day off, by “family day” restrictions. (left) Migrant workers in downtown Doha on a Friday. They are frequently denied access to the Corniche or downtown malls – some of the only areas for social engagement in Doha – on Fridays as “bachelors,” or single men. These restrictions are rarely enforced for Westerners and businesspeople. Human Rights Watch 27
Methodology Human Rights Watch conducted the research for this report in May and June 2011. We held detailed interviews with 73 migrant construction workers, whose conditions are the focus of this report, and 11 other low-wage workers for purposes of comparison. We also conducted three group interviews with construction workers. Workers described their migration processes to Qatar, including the information they had before migrating and the conditions they found on arrival. They gave accounts of any problems they faced in their current employment, as well as any attempts to seek redress. We met interviewees at random in public spaces where workers tended to congregate, at work sites, in labor camps, and in front of the government Labor Complaints Department. Human Rights Watch sought interviews in public spaces where workers tend to congregate in the Doha Industrial area, in downtown Doha, and in al-Khor. We visited six labor camps in the Doha Industrial Area (which houses the largest concentration of labor camps in the country) and in al-Khor (a town approximately 50 km north of Doha where many labor camps are located). Because workers live, work, and congregate in crowded conditions with no private space, Human Rights Watch could not conduct one-on-one interviews in completely private settings. However, we interviewed individual workers we met in a wide variety of locations, at various times of day, and employed by diverse employers. Despite these variances, workers reported strikingly similar forms of abuse. Human Rights Watch interviewed workers in Hindi, Nepali, Tamil, or Urdu, with the assistance of translators who spoke these languages. Most of the workers we interviewed expressed fear for their jobs and their immigration status if their employers found out they had spoken publicly about their working conditions. We interviewed them on the condition that we would not use their names, and many requested that we not mention the name of the company that employed them. Their requests reflected the degree of control employers hold over workers, and workers’ fear of retaliation and abuse should they attempt to exercise their rights. Human Rights Watch also interviewed three employers, one recruiting agent, and two camp supervisors. In addition, we interviewed members of local community organizations and charity groups who work to provide migrants in need with food, lodging, assistance filing BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 28
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: 26 Building a better world cup
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
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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
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Qatar’s Sponsorship Law states th
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etween January 2009 and September 2
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notarized undertakings in workers
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• Ensure that courts reviewing la
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• Finance a public awareness camp
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Acknowledgements This report was re
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Qatar from charging workers fees, b
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interviewed for this report said th
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Qatar, local employers and recruitm
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Request for Information Human Right
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Sponsorship-related problems: • A
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The administration has received no
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Regarding healthcare, it is well kn
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Qatari laws do not permit charging
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Qatar, which require the approval o
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4. Asks the employer or his represe
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Regarding training, Article 99 of t
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Regarding the second question, on t
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HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Avenue
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process of writing to relevant comp
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• arrange for independent monitor
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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 126
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World Cup. We have enclosed a summa
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deception and the disparity between
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CH2M HILL Response to Human Rights
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HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Avenue
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We would like to take this opportun
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Aspire Logistics Response to Human
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construction industry as a whole an
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• show that you have taken all po
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