Maat issues a report on the rights of migrant workers in the Gulf countries in light of the Corona pandemic

Aqeel: The Qatari regime is taking advantage of the Corona crisis to commit more violations of migrant workers

The Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights released today, May 10, 2020, a report entitled “The rights of migrant workers in the Gulf countries in light of the Corona pandemic: a Qatar case study.” The report dealt with the impact of the new Corona virus on the conditions of migrant workers in the Gulf countries, which host more than 10% from all Migrant workers worldwide, and it is certain that this huge number of workers has been affected and will be affected by the closure measures in light of the precautionary measures taken by countries in light of the spread of the new Corona virus.

The report referred to the International Labor Organization data, which expected that 195 million full-time people would lose their jobs during the next three months, due to the repercussions of the Corona virus, and indicated that Arab and European countries are the most affected economically, in light of the consequences of the closure measures The total or partial imposed in many countries, which negatively affected about 2.7 billion workers around the world.

The report pointed out that in Qatar there are about 2 million foreign workers, most of whom work in the construction workshops that are preparing to host the World Cup, which Doha is supposed to organize in the winter of next year. And that these workers face multiple violations even before the spread of the Coronavirus, related to working in inhuman conditions, as they usually work under the scorching rays of the sun, and their wages do not exceed six dollars per day, and they live in overcrowded human camps in the middle of the desert that are not suitable as human housing, and do not enjoy conditions Healthy or decent living, as there is no water or electricity, and many of them have become seriously ill.

For his part, Ayman Aqil, head of Maat Foundation, said that the Qatari authorities have found in the outbreak of the Coronavirus an excuse to commit more violations against migrant workers, as well as get rid of hundreds of workers who have become a burden on them, after human rights organizations shed light on the poor working conditions they suffer This has become a source of concern for Doha, which is struggling to polish its image globally as the 2022 World Cup approaches.

Aqeel stressed that at a time when the world is struggling to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, foreign workers in Qatar are particularly vulnerable to infection with the Coronavirus, especially in light of their stay in overcrowded human camps that are not suitable as human housing, as they lack a minimum of The human existence and basic services, and therefore social distancing cannot be implemented in a camp where thousands of people live side by side, as the proximity of workers to each other in narrow camps does not allow any kind of social distancing. Where about ten people slept in one room on two-story beds, which contributed to the spread of the virus among migrant workers, and that Qatar initially tried to conceal these infections among foreign workers, but in the end it was forced to admit and acknowledge the presence of infections among them despite the reduction of the number.