Abuse of migrant workers' rights continues in Qatar in the buildup to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Amnesty International recently released a report titled In the Prime of their Lives which shows that Qatar doesn't conduct adequate investigations of workers' deaths.
Amnesty International reviewed government data relating to thousands of deaths and investigated 18 death certificates issued between 2017 and 2021. According to their findings, death certificates routinely attribute deaths to natural causes, leaving the families without bereavement compensation.
The news follows last year's investigation by The Guardian, which revealed over 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar between 2010 and 2020. 69% of those deaths were attributed to natural causes, without conducting a proper investigation.
Despite Qatar claiming they've continued to improve working conditions, year after year we see them falling short of their commitments. Workers in Qatar have to work in extreme heat, often in 10 hour shifts. It's costing them lives and in many cases, leaving families without their sole breadwinner.
There are 2 million migrant workers in Qatar, making up most of the country’s population. They've built the country's economy and infrastructure and they deserve protection and safe working environment. It's abhorrent that Qatari government refuses to acknowledge their responsibility for the workers' safety and that FIFA and their corporate sponsors, including McDonald's, Visa, Budweiser, and VIVO, continue to turn a blind eye to the situation. We continue to stand in support of workers in Qatar.
An injury to one is an injury to all!