Thousands of migrant workers have died and many others have suffered serious labour violations during the preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The international community has been very critical of the Gulf state’s treatment of migrant workers, which has included the exploitation of women and the LGBTQ+ community. The European football federations have issued a joint statement on the issue, and Denmark has produced an all-black protest kit. Several European teams have held a protest during games and the Australian football team released a video condemning the state’s human rights record.
The State of Qatar has denied that it is committing any human rights violations. But a report by Human Rights Watch has outlined a number of abuses, including discriminatory male guardianship rules. Women must obtain permission from a male guardian in order to be employed in many government jobs. Similarly, Qatar’s laws allow the arrest of LGBTQ+ people and entail execution of those who do not conform to the state’s gender norms.
The international community has also highlighted the environmental impact of the World Cup. The Qatari government has made many efforts to improve labour conditions, including a new wage protection scheme that ensures that employers pay their workers on time. However, the reforms were too weakly implemented and only benefited a small group of workers.
The international community has also raised concerns about the safety of workers, and there are reports that the number of workers who have died during World Cup preparations is far higher than previously estimated. Several charities have warned of the number of workers who have died during World cup preparations and have been left uncompensated.
Human Rights Watch has compiled information about the treatment of women, LGBTQ+ people, and migrant workers in Qatar. It has accused Qatari companies of engaging in forced labour, including wage theft and physical abuse. It has urged the World Cup’s organizing committee to make sure that all workers are not subject to discrimination. The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the Qatari government agency responsible for delivering World Cup infrastructure, has pledged to set up shelters for the victims of abuse and to provide medical care.
FIFA, which selected Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup in 2010, is under heavy pressure from human rights organizations. The organisation has been working with the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the United Kingdom to implement new human rights policies and to rebuild football’s international credibility. It has also announced the creation of a Human Rights Grievance Mechanism. It has also sent letters to 32 participating nations to warn them of the human rights risks that exist in Qatar. In an attempt to put an end to the lingering criticism, Qatar has announced changes to its labour laws and has pledged to improve the living conditions of migrant workers.
A number of major construction firms have been accused of abusing migrant workers, including stealing their wages, denying them adequate nutrition and physically abusing them. A report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) has also criticized the state for its labor laws. Qatar’s government has made efforts to improve labour conditions, but the changes were too weak to benefit a large number of workers.
