As the World Cup draws closer, more and more light is being cast on Qatar. The tiny but thriving nation has made significant reforms to its legislation and laws in order to better the human rights and living circumstances of migrant workers. Qatar has introduced major labor reforms after the international criticism faced by the country, focusing on the increase in labor wages, working conditions, health and safety, fair treatment, etc. Lets talk about what the International Organizations have to say about Qatar's new labor reforms, amidst the World Cup Preparations.
What does the African Trade Union Delegation think about Migrant Reforms in Qatar?
What does ILO say?
Previously, workers in Qatar needed an employer's no-objection certificate (NOC) to work. The Minister of Interior also issued a Ministerial Decree abolishing departure permission restrictions for all employees except the military. These actions have put a stop to the kafala system in the nation. Applauding the milestone Qatar achieved, the International Labor Organization's Director-General said, "The ILO welcomes these reforms and recognizes the commitment of the State of Qatar to transforming its labor market. These steps will greatly support the rights of migrant workers while contributing to a more efficient and productive economy. I am pleased that the ongoing ILO technical cooperation program in Qatar is tangibly contributing to the government's effort to advance social justice and promote decent work in the country."
What is the viewpoint of FIFA about Qatar's recent Labour Reforms?
FIFA president Gianni Infantino feels that Qatar is shown a "strong commitment" to ensuring that labor reforms are properly implemented: "I am pleased to see the strong commitment from the Qatari authorities to ensure the reforms are fully implemented across the labor market, leaving a lasting legacy of the FIFA World Cup long after the event, and benefiting migrant workers in the host country in the long term," Infantino said.
What does the European Union Parliament Believe?
Despite Qatar's efforts to ensure that its migrant workers well cared for the European Union still believes that more changes could be made to the Labor Reforms. A European Union Parliament official, Marc Trabella expressed his thoughts in this way: "We are convinced that real progress has been made with regard to a change in the law. However, it has to be fully implemented since there are some companies that remain reluctant to change. I think that Gulf countries should follow Qatar's example. We hope that other countries do so, and discover the huge economic development that has resulted, thanks to the recent significant reforms there.''
What Does Qatar's Minister of Labour Say?
After the international criticism faced by Qatar regarding the mistreatment of its migrant workers, the Qatar Minister of Labour Ali bin Samikh Al-Marri came forward and made the following statement: We are the first country in the region with an International Labour Organization office, whose mandate will continue beyond 2022. Working with the ILO, we introduced laws in line with international best practices. The next step has been to ensure that changes are fully implemented by shifting the deeply ingrained cultural attitudes of employers. While everyone was convinced it was impossible to abolish #kafala' — the system whereby employers acted as #sponsor' and had the power to deport workers and to give permission for expatriates to leave the country. We managed to do just that. The concept of a minimum wage was well received, and now it is monitored through electronic payments and we plan to increase it.
Injustice Criticism of Amnesty and HRW on Qatar
The governing body of international football, FIFA, awarded Qatar the right to host the 2022 World Cup, which will be held from November 21 to December 18, 2022. The Qatar National Vision 2030 codified a long-term growth plan, and the country's World Cup preparations included an estimated 1 million migrant laborers. As a result of this preparation, however, the horrible treatment of migrant workers in Qatar was brought to light.
The kafala sponsorship system, which is commonly employed in the six Gulf Cooperation Council states, is particularly the biggest worry for states all over the world. Since it provides employers enormous authority, resulting in rampant violation of the rights of migrant workers. Amnesty and HRW falsely accuse that despite all efforts, Kafala remains in operation in Qatar. Furthermore, saying that even after guaranteeing compliance with more favorable labor rules Kafala remains a major problem for migrant workers in Qatar.
Qatar's affirmative Response to These allegations
Qatar has denied all the false allegations stating that it is working in the best interest of migrant workers. After the severe backlash, Qatar has made changes to its labor reforms making sure that the migrant workers are treated well and receive deserving incomes and benefits. Qatar has also implemented significant legislative measures to enhance the working conditions of these employees, which have been warmly welcomed by the European Union.
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