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IV. Recommendations To the Government of Qatar In relation to the Labor Law and supporting regulations: • Amend Qatar’s Labor Law to guarantee workers’ right to strike, including migrant workers, as detailed below; • Amend Qatari law to guarantee all workers, including migrant and domestic workers, the right to free association and collective bargaining. Amend the current government proposal for a worker advocacy organization to eliminate discrimination between foreign and Qatari workers, and to allow election of foreign workers to any representative body. Ratify the International Labour Organization’s Conventions No.87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining. The law should provide for the formation of independent unions free from employee and government interference, and remove provisions banning non-Qatari workers from union membership. In relation to worker recruitment: • Prohibit companies from doing business with recruitment agencies and subcontractors, in Qatar and abroad, that charge workers fees for travel, visas, employment contracts, or anything else. Require employers to obtain official statements from recruiting agents, in Qatar and abroad, verifying that they have not charged any workers they have recruited for the country with any recruiting fees; • Pass new legislation requiring companies to engage in due diligence when recruiting and hiring migrant workers, including the responsibility to ensure that migrant workers have full and accurate information about jobs before migrating, and to protect workers from exploitative fees. Require companies to provide verification that they have paid such fees, and to reimburse workers when they have not. Prosecute and implement significant penalties for employers, recruiting agencies, and subcontractors that violate the law; • Require all sponsoring employers to obtain copies of contracts signed and notarized by workers in their home country, in their native language, attesting to the terms of their employment and that they have not paid any recruiting fees. If workers have already held jobs in Qatar and are recruited in-country, contractors should provide signed and 87 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | JUNE 2012
notarized undertakings in workers’ native languages that clearly state the terms and conditions of their employment. Investigate, prosecute, and penalize employers who fail to follow these practices; • Take stronger measures to identify, investigate, and punish recruitment agencies and informal labor brokers who charge workers illegal fees, directly or indirectly. In relation to Labor Law violations: • Provide quantitative data on labor disputes, injuries, and deaths at construction sites, and on government action to address these issues. Investigate, prosecute, and sanction employers who fail to offer workers safety training and monitor safety conditions, or to meet Qatari safety regulations; • Mandate payment of all wages into electronic banking accounts accessible in Qatar and sending countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Philippines. Initiate free and accessible financial literacy programs for migrant workers unfamiliar with formal banking. In relation to the Sponsorship Law: • Abolish the sponsorship system; allow workers to change jobs without requiring employer consent, regardless of how long they have worked for that employer, and repeal employers’ power to cancel workers’ visas; • Immediately eliminate the exit visa requirement; • Pending abolition of the Sponsorship Law, the Ministry of Interior should provide written reasons for rejecting workers’ requests to transfer sponsorship, and allow the right of appeal; • Begin monitoring and enforce prohibitions against confiscation of workers’ passports. Issue a clear directive reminding employers that Qatari law prohibits passport confiscation and reiterating relevant penalties. Require employers to provide lockers in which workers can keep their passports and other personal documents. In relation to labor inspections, complaints reporting, and legal claims: • Improve the ability of inspectors to investigate violations of the Labor Law and health and safety regulations; BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 88
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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
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
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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: etween January 2009 and September 2
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
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
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Aspire Logistics Response to Human
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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 140
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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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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD CUP 146
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