DOHA, Qatar (Washington Insider Magazine) – In response to Amnesty International’s report “Reality Check 2021: A Year to the 2022 World Cup,” Qatar’s Ministry of Labour released a statement denying that labor reforms had not resulted in improvements on the surface for hundreds and thousands of migrant employees.
Qatar dismisses Amnesty International’s claim that labor reforms have not resulted in improvements on the ground for thousands of migrant employees, according to the Ministry of Labor.
Amnesty International has failed to find a single tale between the 242,870 laborers who have managed to change occupations since the obstacles were removed in Sept. 2020, or among over 400,000 employees who have benefited greatly from the latest minimum wage via pay raises as well as other financial rewards.
Thousands of laborers have left Qatar and decided to return without approval from their employers since exit permissions were fully removed in 2018; modifications to the Wage Protection System presently safeguard over 96% of eligible employees from pay rate abuse; novel visa establishments in labor-sending nations have considerably lowered exploitative practises before employees come to Qatar; and new regulations extend the prohibition on summer operating to reduce the adverse effects of heat stress.
Qatar has also stepped up its enforcement efforts to protect employees and penalize businesses that break the law. The Ministry of Labour’s inspectorate has grown year after year, as has its power to properly probe workplace conditions and submit offenders to the labor courts for punishment.
During the first half of the year, 35,280,2021 audits of housing and work sites were carried out, with 13,724 penalties given to infringing businesses, including workplace shutdown, penalties, and jail terms. Labor inspectors did another 4,840 site survey to enhance knowledge of the new legislation among companies and workers.
Every year, more businesses are prosecuted for breaking the law. Structural transformation is a lengthy process, and changing a corporation’s practice takes time. The administration is making it very clear to businesses that transgressions will not be condoned through its measures.
Qatar has never been shy about admitting that its labor law is in its infancy. To enhance conditions for all migrant laborers in Qatar, the government is dedicated to working jointly and productively with foreign allies and critics.
As a result, Qatar will strive to interact with international specialists, such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and trade unions. International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will be approached on a regular basis to make advice.
In actuality, no other nation has made such rapid progress in such a brief period of time. Other nations in the area have now made efforts to implement their respective labor reforms, following Qatar’s lead and demonstrating the system’s wider influence.
Labor reform is a difficult issue, and Qatar thinks that discourse and involvement are the best ways to find solutions. As a result, despite Amnesty International’s criticism, Qatar will strive to collaborate proactively with a variety of labor practitioners and experts in order to improve the momentum which is already in motion.
