Of foreign workers in Qatar have strengthened construction before the football World Cup, 2022., photo: str/EPA
The major report commissioned by Qatar in the treatment of migrant workers produced more than 60 proposed reforms - and a revealing confirmation:, hundreds of migrants have died, many from unexplained sudden illness in the last two years, at a rate of more than one day.
The report of the international law firm DLA Piper demands changes the much criticized Kafala system that links workers to their employers. In addition, the Qatari government figure on the number of migrants who have died on its soil contains: 964 from Nepal, India and Bangladesh in 2012 and 2013. Total killed 246 of "sudden death" in the year 2012, according to the report by 35 died in falls and 28 suicide committed. The number of deaths as a result of work-related injuries was low.
But the real purpose of the 135-page report, in the course of the guardian revelations about appalling working conditions in Qatar, in order was given, recommendations for reform. The document was by human rights activists as a major step forward, welcomes in particular given the initial fears that through their work for Qatar-owned news network al-Jazeera DLA Piper independence be at risk can.
But also warned, that its recommendations must be followed through action, a clear timetable and were discouraged, that little on the report in the
Wednesday announcement was referenced.
"The judgment of DLA Piper is clear. "The sponsorship system not for purpose is appropriate and the exit permit is not justified", said James Lynch of Amnesty International. "Instead of rejigging and renaming of the system, the Government should now real profound reform and a wider programme of measures combating commit access to the justice, health and private sector accountability for human rights violations against migrant workers."
The report, 62 recommendations on nine key areas:
The report recommends Qatar strengthens and enforces laws to prevent agencies from fees. It called the authorities still go further and ban employers with any foreign agencies in countries of origin, the fees. This would try to deal the big fees and overpromise impoverished workers, the middleman, so that they are in debt out of the way.
Also is required, an optimized system, abuse, improved perception of the methods of reporting an overview of licensing used remedies for abused workers by agencies and for unethical agencies on the black list.
Shortly before the discussion such as Qatar and its neighbors handle Golf migrant workers human rights groups have called for long the Kafala system, which eliminates employees in their employer links. Resistance of which met these calls, claiming that it is culturally embedded.
The DLA Piper report calls a "far-reaching and comprehensive review" of the kafala in regard to the elimination or phasing-out "certain aspects" of the system and prioritization of freedom of movement and the rights of workers.
It is recommended that controversial exit visa system be fundamentally reformed to allow migrant workers leave the country right unless "compelling evidence" to the contrary. In the course of time it should be abolished completely.
Existing laws prohibit employers from seizing passports, currently largely ignored, enforced much better with generating companies that are on the black list.
Workers welfare standards, for example in February by the Qatar 2022 World Cup Organizer, should be mandatory in all contracts,
would be issued by authorities, a move that immediately raised the threshold on many major infrastructure projects.
Crucially, recommends the report that lead responsible, that all their Web of subcontractors, where abuse is far spread contractor for this. It calls for better monitoring of employee contracts and these contracts translation in their mother tongue. Like many of the recommendations by DLA Piper falls the enforcement will and resource.
The report calls for assessing, on the introduction of a minimum wage and for employers, the wages are disqualified just in time to, of which a sponsor not pay. Qatar recently a new system for the automatic payment of wages announced, electronically, another recommendation in the report.
DLA Piper strongly recommends the importance for health and safety of the Qatari authorities in the midst of his dash builds to show a new nation.
It calls for contractor injury standards used on the black list and the introduction of stronger criminal penalties, as well as joint and several liability for contractors (often large Western companies) and their subcontractors.
In addition to practical measures such as the introduction of electronic ID cards and health and safety education she recommends a series of measures to set to die as many workers on construction sites.
DLA Piper "recommends" the regular collection and release of statistics on work related injuries and deaths, every six months will be published anonymously.
Given the seemingly abnormal heart attacks it calls an independent study in sudden cardiac arrest in the next three years and a proper investigation for unexpected or sudden deaths.
Recommendations include a compulsory induction for new employees, a worker welfare officer on each side, better monitoring and inspection, and better appeal.
Qatar has claimed, that is the number and frequency of checks has increased, but DLA Piper says more needs to done to so that the Labour Inspectorate Department with "Sufficient coverage and strict" can perform their task. It wants better training for inspectors, more competence, more interpreters for employee interviews and more transparency.
As an "interim injunction", the law firm says recently announced standards on worker welfare for the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee should apply to all public contracts. It calls for more transparency and says the Dole proposals, so that the right to freedom of Association and representation "should publish foreign workers". Where Qatar sees reasons for restricting these rights, he should say why.
DLA Piper recommends the abolition of fees for complainants, better access to the online and physical resources from the Labour Ministry, interim payments and an accelerated procedure for certain categories of complaint.
•, Has been changed in this article on 28 may 2014, the subheading to correct, which gave an incorrect total for the number of migrants, who died of cardiac arrest, waterfalls and suicides. A line has been added to the article to say that the report found that the number of deaths in connection with work-related injuries was low.
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