DOHA: Qatar has severely criticised Amnesty International for its recent statement on labour conditions in the country and said the statement is not based on facts.
The Government Communications Office of Qatar has issued a clarification in this regard, reported Qatar News Agency (QNA).
It has listed a number of steps that have been taken to reform the labour market and protect the rights of foreign workers.
Amnesty International has released a statement summarising their reporting on labour conditions in Qatar over the past five years. The Government of Qatar feels that Amnesty’s statement does not accurately reflect the progress “we have made in reforming our labour system,” said the Qatari government.
Further, the government feels that Amnesty’s reporting lacks context, as it does not benchmark labour conditions in Qatar against labour conditions in other countries facing similar challenges.
Qatar fully intends to meet the highest standards with regard to labour but for reasons that are unclear, Amnesty International has provided no comparative data on labour conditions in other countries employing large numbers of guest workers to meet the demands of rapid growth and development.
The Government of Qatar wishes to reaffirm its appreciation for the contributions made by the millions of workers who have come to Qatar in recent years to help “us build our nation’s infrastructure and we are committed to respecting both their labour rights and their human rights”.
“Qatar is committed to protecting the workers who are helping us build our nation. Indeed, this is why we welcome feedback and constructive criticism from NGO partners.”
But with regard to Amnesty’s most recent statement, “we feel that the accusation that Qatar has failed to improve the human rights of its guest workers is simply untrue”.
Significant reforms have been made and more are in the pipeline. The Wage Protection System (WPS) to ensure workers are paid in full and on time is in place and is being enforced.
All employees of private companies in Qatar must now receive their wages electronically via bank transfer within seven days.
Qatar has introduced and enforced new laws that make it illegal for companies to withhold workers’ passports; make it illegal to work during midday hours during the summer months; increase the minimum accommodation space per worker by 50 percent; and improve health and safety requirements for all workers in Qatar.
Qatar has also put in place stronger regulations to safeguard workers’ welfare, and has improved access to justice for those suffering unfair treatment; an electronic complaint system now operates in 10 different languages, including, English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and Nepali.
To address the issue of unfair recruitment practices in workers’ countries of origin, Qatar has licensed over 200 recruitment agencies subject to regular monitoring and checks to ensure compliance with recruitment standards.
“To address the issue at it source, we continue to cooperate with origin country governments, and have so far signed 35 agreements and five memoranda of understanding with 40 countries of origin.”
The government recently signed into law reform of the contract-based employment system, including provisions regulating the entry, exit and residency requirements for the two million-plus expatriate labour force.
Labour reform is still a work in progress, but the new regulations mark the beginning of the end of the so-called ‘kafala’ laws in Qatar.
As with any government undertaking a legislative reform process, the substance of the law will determine implementation timetable. This is a critical part of the process to ensure all stakeholders are able to comply with the new legislation. This happens in Qatar as it does in any other country.
Far from ‘tinkering on the edges’ of reform, Qatar has made and will continue to make changes in our laws that will help ensure the rights of workers and their employers are respected. Our government looks forward to the release of constructive reports by Amnesty International that accurately reflect progress made in Qatar, and which benchmark the country’s efforts against nations facing similar challenges.
The Peninsula
