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 public pressure, companies involved in flagship projects for the Qatar World Cup and the 2020 World Expo in Dubai failed to respond to this outreach. Even beyond the survey, only 39% have publically available human rights commitments.

This lack of commitment is alarming given the widespread exploitation and abuse faced by the large numbers of migrant workers employed in the construction industry in Qatar and the UAE. The appalling treatment of migrant workers in the region has been widely publicised, so no company has an excuse for inaction.

The responses we did receive reveal the wide gulf of understanding and commitment between a few pioneering companies and a long tail of laggards. Of the 100 companies contacted, only a handful reported important steps in areas such as recruitment, worker voice and subcontracting, providing examples that others can follow. Selected examples of better practice are highlighted in the briefing.

The risks inherent in accepted business models and complex supply chains, however, can not be resolved by companies acting in isolation: collective industry-wide efforts are needed. As it stands, the current lack of industry transparency limits the ability of companies to tackle shared challenges and move forward together on the basis of agreed-upon standards and good practice.

Summary recommendations:

  • Business partners and civil society actors should press for increased transparency from companies, rewarding those that take a responsible approach to the recruitment and employment of migrant workers and drawing attention to company inaction.

Companies should:

  • Adopt a public human rights commitment and conduct robust due diligence.
  • Take urgent action to protect migrant workers in key risk areas.
  • Ensure workers have access to individual and collective grievance mechanisms.

Click here to view the companies’ responses to the 2016 survey

A Wall of Silence: The Construction Sector's Response to Migrant Rights in Qatar and the UAE - BHRRC, 2016 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

The 2018 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
Publications

Purpose of this Report The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has produced this eighth edition of the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPRA), as amended. The TVPRA req...Read More

Modern Slavery Report 2017-18
Publications

The Modern Slavery Report highlights Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)'s efforts during 2017-18 to disrupt, prosecute and improve their response to offending. Findings show a 27 per cent rise in the number of suspects charged with modern slavery and hu...Read More

TAGS: Europe
Artificial Intelligence – Combating online sexual abuse of children
Publications

The rapid growth of digital technology has revolutionized our lives, transforming the way we connect and communicate. Internet access, mobile devices and social media are now ubiquitous, especially among children. Of the 4.5 billion people with acce...Read More

The effects of the COV-19 pandemic on trafficking in persons and responses to the challenges_UNODC, 2021
COVID-19 resourcesPublications

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected countries and people globally; it has also exacerbated existing disadvantages, poverty and vulnerabilities. The initial measures to contain the health crisis have not always considered those most vulnerable and aff...Read More

TAGS: Global