REALITY CHECK 2020: COUNTDOWN TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR Amnesty International is a global movement of more than seven million people working to ensure that the fundamental rights of each individual are respected. Amnesty International's vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments. Funded primarily by its members and donations from individuals, Amnesty International is independent of any individual government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. © Amnesty International 2020 Cover: © Amnesty International. Design by Colin Foo Except where otherwise noted, content in this document is licensed under a Creative Commons (attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives, international 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode For more information please visit the permissions page on our website: www.amnesty.org Where material is attributed to a copyright owner other than Amnesty International this material is not subject to the Creative Commons licence. First published in 2020 by Amnesty International Ltd Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street, London WC1X 0DW, UK Index: MDE 22/3297/2020 Original language: English amnesty.org CONTENTS TIMELINE 4 INTRODUCTION 6 1. THE KAFALA SYSTEM 10 2. PAY GRIEVANCES 16 3. DOMESTIC WORKERS 22 4. DENIED THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE 25 5. WORLD CUP WORKERS AND FIFA 27 6. COVID-19 AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS 30 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 32 REALITY CHECK 2020 COUNTDOWN TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP – MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR 3 Amnesty International TIMELINE OCTOBER 2017: NOVEMBER 2018: AUGUST 2020: Qatar and the ILO Qatar establishes Qatar abolished conclude a the MARCH 2009: JUNE 2014: technical Workers Support the No-Objection cooperation programme to deliver a wide and Insurance Fund intended to Certificate, Qatar enacts a new kafala (sponsorship) law to replace Worker groups lodge a complaint range of reforms including to the kafala pay workers what they are owed allowing all workers to legislation in place since 1963. Under the new law, against Qatar at the UN International system. The ILO’s governing body immediately after a decision by the change jobs without the migrant workers still cannot leave the country or Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva. closes the complaint against Qatar. labour dispute committees. permission of their employers change their jobs without their employers’ permission. after fulfilling certain conditions, including DECEMBER 2016: completing a probation NOVEMBER 2013: MAY 2018: period and serving notice. Qatar replaces its 2009 kafala Qatar ratifies the two Coreinternational Amnesty International legislation with a new ‘employment’ human rights treaties but places a series details widespread law that the government claims of reservations on these, including to and routine abuse across Qatar’s “abolishes kafala”, because the indicate that it will not allow workers to JANUARY 2020: construction sector, calling word has been replaced by form and join trade unions. Qatar extends the for fundamental reform of the “contractual agreement”. But exit permit removal to country’s laws and practices. workers still cannot leave the include all workers country without permission from including domestic MAY 2013: APRIL 2014: their employers and are tied to workers and other categories their employers for the length of who were excluded from the The International Trade Union The UN Special MARCH 2018: their contracts, which can be as previous announcement. Confederation calls for the 2022 Rapporteur on the long as five years. “Fast-track” labour courts called World Cup hosting vote to be rights of migrants “Committees for the Settlement of re-run. This is rejected by FIFA. calls for the abolition of the Labour Disputes” are established. sponsorship system in Qatar. DECEMBER 2010: FEBRUARY 2014: AUGUST 2015: AUGUST 2017: APRIL 2018: JULY 2019: Qatar wins the Qatar’s World Cup body, The government Qatar passes a law The ILO office in Qatar opens. Qatar inaugurated the right to host the the Supreme Committee for introduces the Wage Protection regulating the employment first government-run 2022 World Cup. Delivery and Legacy, publishes System, an electronic system to of domestic workers, who shelter for survivors of the ‘Workers’ Welfare Standards’ monitor the payment had no protection at all abuse including domestic workers, for contractors on stadiums of workers’ wages. for their labour rights the Human Care Home. Although and other World Cup projects. under Qatari law. The the shelter is not yet fully operational, The standards, more stringent law marks an important it began receiving some women in than Qatari Labour Law, apply step forward but is mid-2020. to around 3% of the country’s JUNE 2017: not fully in line with construction workers. international standards. A political crisis in the Gulf erupts, as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and OCTOBER 2018: AUGUST 2020: Egypt break off diplomatic Qatar partially abolishes the Qatar set a mandatory relations with Qatar, and SEPTEMBER 2013: MAY 2014: exit permit, meaning that minimum wage for impose a series of severe The Guardian publishes Qatar says it NOVEMBER 2017: most workers can now leave all migrant workers, damning revelations of will “abolish” economic, border and Qatar sets a temporary the country without needing including domestic the abuse of workers on kafala, promising legal reform transport restrictions. minimum wage of 750 their employers’ permission. However, the workers. The monthly rate was construction projects in Lusail City and following recommendations This crisis has led to riyals a month ($206). law does not apply to at least 174,000 set to QR1,000 (around US$275), reveals that 44 Nepalese workers died by international law firm DLA serious human rights domestic workers and several other plus allowances of QR300 (around in a two-month period. Piper commissioned by the violations with ordinary categories of workers. US$83) for food and QR500 (around government. people bearing its brunt. US$137) for accommodation if these are not provided by the employer. The minimum wage will enter into force in March 2021 and will be reviewed annually. 4 REALITY CHECK 2020 COUNTDOWN TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP – MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR REALITY CHECK 2020 COUNTDOWN TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP – MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR 5 Amnesty International Amnesty International INTRODUCTION In just two years, the eyes of the world will be focused on Qatar as the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off, the first time the world’s leading football tournament is staged in the Middle East. In the decade since Qatar successfully bid to stage the tournament, millions of men and women – mostly from Asia and Africa – have migrated to the country for work. Whether they be in construction, hospitality or domestic service, these migrant workers have contributed vastly to the country’s economy and development, and without many of them the World Cup would not be possible. But Amnesty International and others have also shown that during these years thousands of workers have been subjected to serious exploitation and labour abuse, sometimes amounting to forced labour, facilitated by the labour system in place in the country. Artist's impression of the Al Bayt Stadium, oner of the newly built venues for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. © LOC FIFA So, it was with great anticipation that Qatar announced in 2017 a partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to bring its labour laws and practices in line with international standards, offering the possibility that the World Cup could instead leave a positive legacy for the rights of all workers in the country. But as the countdown to kick off continues, are the promises of labour reforms matched by the reality faced by migrant workers upon whom Qatar so depends? 6 REALITY CHECK 2020 COUNTDOWN TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP – MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR Amnesty International In this report, Amnesty International examines how far Qatar has come to meet its pledges to reform its labour system and protect workers’ rights before the World Cup opens. The report highlights that Qatar has made some important progress to date, including major reforms announced in 2020 to facilitate freedom of movement and introduce a new minimum wage. Yet, it also demonstrates that the weak implementation and enforcement of other reforms introduced in recent years has left thousands of workers at the mercy of unscrupulous employers who have been allowed to commit abuses with impunity. Today, despite improvements to the legal framework, these migrants often still face delayed or unpaid wages, work excessively long hours, and struggle to access justice. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is also placing new stresses on employers and employees alike. For migrant workers this has only exacerbated their acute vulnerabilities, including heavy debts from high recruitment fees, restrictions on movement and obstacles to attaining effective remedies for their abuse. Qatar has a duty to protect and respect human rights, and a major opportunity to prove to the world that it is serious about workers’ rights. To do so, it must ensure full implementation and enforcement of the reforms introduced to date, get serious about holding abusive employers to account, and take action to address major weaknesses in key areas including the payment of wages, access to justice