Nov 16, 2023 at 4:04 p.m
Almost a year after the World Cup, Qatar and the world football association FIFA are still failing to tackle abuses surrounding migrant workers, according to Amnesty International. According to the human rights organization, workers are insufficiently protected against exploitation.
According to an Amnesty report, progress on workers’ rights is almost non-existent. According to the human rights organization, the few positive developments are overshadowed by a lack of action on numerous abuses.
“It ranges from illegal recruitment fees to unpaid wages,” Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s chief economic and social justice officer, said in a statement on Thursday. “Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers lost their money, suffered health problems and even lost their lives as FIFA and Qatar tried to deflect and deny responsibility.”
Qatar is said to have made positive changes in some areas. This means that most migrant workers have been able to leave the country freely since the World Cup. Progress is also said to have been made with regard to working in the heat. For example, there is a ban on outdoor construction work during the hottest part of the day.
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But Amnesty also speaks of “stagnation and continued exploitation”. Many workers cannot change jobs without a declaration of no objection. Employers can also revoke the residence permit of workers in the event of complaints or requests to change jobs.
There are also still overdue and unpaid salaries. And despite the establishment of labor committees, Amnesty says “huge barriers remain for workers seeking redress through the legal system.”
“Qatar should not be under the illusion that its actions will no longer be scrutinized because the World Cup is over,” Cockburn said. “It must make renewed efforts to strengthen workers’ rights. FIFA must learn from its mistakes and be prepared to take its human rights responsibilities seriously.”
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2023-11-16 15:04:00
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