Prompted by international scrutiny of working conditions on flagship projects in Qatar and the UAE, in 2016, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre surveyed construction companies on their approach to safeguarding migrant workers’ rights in both countries.
Two years on and with a second survey, the findings show that while a consistent but small group of construction companies demonstrate real commitment to tackling the risks to migrant workers in their operations, the overwhelming majority operate with high risks to human rights and continued disregard for workers’ welfare. In both years, more than 70% of surveyed companies did not respond and over 60% did not have a public commitment to human rights.
This briefing analyses the survey responses and public human rights commitments of construction companies with current projects in the region and makes recommendations to companies, clients and governments to advance the rights of migrant workers.
An overview of the risks to migrant workers on construction projects across the Gulf. Migrant workers make up between 60% and 90% of the workforce in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Low-wage construction workers are at...
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has quizzed 100 construction companies operating in Qatar and the UAE on the measures they are taking to stop exploitation of migrant workers. Only 22 responded, indicating a shocking level of inaction. Despite increasing...
This report gives an insight into the link between corporate practices in the Arabian Gulf’s engineering and construction sector and the recruitment – in South Asian countries like India and Bangladesh – of many of the migrant workers who staff the industry’s projects.
The tragic event at Rana Plaza on April 24, 2013 drew the attention of the world to the conditions prevailing in the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh. In its wake, over 150 European textile companies signed a legally binding agreement to main...Read More
With the global refugee crisis showing no signs of abating, multinational companies need to consider how their supply chain interacts with refugees, who are often more vulnerable to forced labor when they seek out work in a new country. Combating F...Read More
This Guide is designed to assist businesses participating in the Bali Process Government and Business Forum with practical examples to implement the AAA Recommendations (2018). This Guide is not designed to be prescriptive or exhaustive, but rather ...Read More
Low-wage migrant workers commonly encounter abuses of their labour rights during the migration process. These abuses can include deceptive practices by recruitment agencies, underpayment, poor and unsafe working conditions, and other exploitative pr...Read More
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