The Expo 2020 will see an estimated 25 million people visit Dubai as the UAE showcases itself to the world. Yet 12 months ahead of the Expo’s launch, migrant workers on UAE construction sites continue to suffer exploitation and abuse – from heat stress and unsafe conditions to late or non-payment of wages and curbs on being able to change jobs.

A new report by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre finds 62 of the new construction projects awarded in UAE since January 2018 went to companies that have failed to disclose how they protect migrant workers.

Two contracts went to companies with records of alleged human rights abuses: Saudi firm the BinLadin Group and UAE company Al Arif Contracting.

The report also finds that the UAE government has a big role in awarding construction projects, with $25.3 billion – 66% of the contracts (by monetary value) – since January 2018 awarded by government bodies or companies fully or partially owned by the state.

This means the UAE government has a key responsibility to award contracts to companies that safeguard migrant workers’ rights, and to pay contractors on time to avoid delays to supply chain workers’ wages.

One year to Expo 2020: A Snapshot of UAE Construction Sector and Risks to Vulnerable Workers 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

LEARNING FROM OUR ACTIONS: HOW CAN WE BE COMFORTABLE WITH FAILURE?
Publications

Findings from a series of learning papers previously developed by USAID Asia CTIP in 20211, showed that openly communicating, sharing and learning among CSOs and donors is key to ensuring that iterative programming takes place. This is vital to ensu...Read More

TAGS:
Child labour, tobacco and AIDS
Publications

In 2003 alone, HIV/AIDS‐associated illnesses caused the deaths of approximately 2.9 million people worldwide, including an estimated 490,000 children younger than 15 years (UNAIDS 2004). No need to say that massive interventions are needed in orde...Read More

No Worker Left Behind: Protecting Vulnerable Workers from Exploitation During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 resourcesPublications

This briefing builds on the understanding that labour exploitation is part of a spectrum ranging from labour compliance through to labour law violations, culminating at extreme exploitation in the form of forced labour. Research by FLEX and others s...Read More

Beauty and a Beast: Child labour in India for sparkling cars and cosmetics
Publications

This report focuses on child labour in Jharkhand/Bihar for mica mining and processing, and the role of Dutch companies and main manufacturers of pearlescent