Over 90% of Qatar’s workforce are migrant workers, brought to the country under kafala, the ‘sponsorship’ system. It is a foreign worker sponsorship programme that jeopardises basic human rights of migrant workers, allowing slavery-like conditions to flourish leaving thousands vulnerable to forced labour and other human rights abuses.
Narayan was forced to work in the blistering heat without safety precautions, which cost a friend and fellow worker his life. And without access to his passport, he had no freedom to leave. While Narayan eventually found help and returned to Nepal to tell his story, thousands of others never get that chance.
Many others’ experiences are even worse; workers often have their wages withheld, are denied exit visas, are housed in dirty, unsafe conditions and forced to work long hours with little rest despite the high heat.
Right now we have an opportunity to help. The Minister of Labour made promises to make substantial reform to the kafala system, ensuring the protection of migrant workers.4 Now, the deadline for these reforms has passed.  Read more and take action here