Qatar ‘to improve labor laws’

DOHA: Qatar has promised to improve its labor laws, a member of the European Parliament visiting the Gulf state said, after persistent criticism from human rights group over its treatment of workers.
Pressure on Qatar, which is hosting the 2022 soccer World Cup, grew after Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported in September that dozens of Nepalese construction workers had died and that laborers were not given enough food and water. Qatari and Nepalese officials denied the report.
Richard Howitt, a member of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights who visited Doha this week as part of efforts to help Qatar reform its labor laws, said Qatari officials were working on new legislation to improve conditions for foreign workers in the Gulf Arab state.
“It’s been a very constructive visit,” Howitt, a Briton, told Reuters on Tuesday. “I met with officials who said that we should be hearing about new announcements which include laws to protect domestic workers by this summer... Change is imminent,” he added, referring to housemaids and cleaners, who are usually foreign. He did not give any more details.
The European Parliament subcommittee on human rights, which is looking into the issue of sports and human rights, last month decided to help Qatar introduce labor reforms after a hearing with several witnesses including human rights groups and the UN’s International Labour Organization.
Howitt said he had also urged Qatari officials to abolish the “kafala” or “sponsorship” system that allows sponsors to hold guest workers’ passports for the duration of their contracts.
He said the Qatari’s said they were planning to introduce some changes into this system but gave no specific time frame.
Qatari officials were reluctant to allow the formation of labor unions, he said, because they viewed the issue as “not compatible with national security.”