This report uses Qatar as a case study to examine how the global public health crisis affected destitute migrants in the Middle East and how employers and the government responded. It also makes a series of reform recommendations that would promote human rights by improving workers’ economic and living conditions.

The report’s central findings are two- fold: After a slow start, the government of Qatar provided migrant workers with free, adequate healthcare in response to the pandemic. But foreign laborers suffered economically as a result of construction delays, wage reductions, terminated contracts, and deportations. The contrast between the government’s vigorous public health campaign and its failure to protect workers’ livelihoods is key. Qatar should address migrants’ economic needs with the same energy and resourcefulness illustrated by its efforts to stem the spread of Covid-19.

Still Struggling: Migrant Construction Workers in Qatar During the Pandemic- Zahra Kahn (NYU Stern School of Business), March 2022 DOWNLOAD

post

page

attachment

revision

nav_menu_item

custom_css

customize_changeset

oembed_cache

user_request

wp_block

wp_template

wp_template_part

wp_global_styles

wp_navigation

wp_font_family

wp_font_face

acf-taxonomy

acf-post-type

acf-field-group

acf-field

ai1ec_event

exactmetrics_note

Leaving No-one Behind
COVID-19 resourcesGuidance

This is a guidance for policymakers, donors and business leaders to ensure that responses to Covid-19 reach victims of modern slavery and people vulnerable to slavery. With the effects on the global economy, the Covid-19 crisis is leading to wid...Read More

Addressing Forced Labor and other Modern Slavery Risks: A Toolkit for Small and Medium-Sized Suppliers
GuidanceGraphics & Infographics

This toolkit aims to help companies that work in corporate supply chains to quickly identify areas of their business which carry the highest risk of modern slavery and develop a simple plan to prevent and address any identified risks. It is designed...Read More

Evidence from Japanese companies assessment on human rights due diligence
Guidance

The Human Rights Council unanimously endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2011. More than 10 years later, this global standard for how business should respect human rights has driven some positive change. While ...Read More

A stitch in time saved none: How fashion brands fueled violence in the factory and beyond
Guidance

This study documents women garment workers’ experiences of gender- based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian production countries. It elaborates “economic harm” as a form of GBVH, underscoring how the b...Read More