HRW report warns that kafala labour system is alive and killing in Saudi and Qatar

January 17 – Human Rights Watch has spotlighted “a legacy of widespread migrant labor abuses” in Qatar following the 2022 World Cup and “widespread abuses beneath the kafala system on PIF-funded tasks” in Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 World Cup. 

In its annual report, the rights organisation drew consideration once more to labour rights within the Gulf.

“As seen within the Human Rights Watch 2025 World Report, each Saudi Arabia and Qatar are nations that depend on a big migrant labor workforce,” Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch informed Insideworldfootball.

“Each have been awarded soccer’s flagship occasion, the World Cup, by FIFA, with out correct human rights due diligence. Each Qatar and Saudi Arabia have the kafala labor sponsorship system in place, resulting in insufficient protections for migrant employees, together with dangers of compelled labor, with no skill for employees for migrant employees to type unions, stage strikes, or protest harmful working situations.”

In December, FIFA awarded the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia following a bidding course of that fast-tracked the candidacy of the Arab Kingdom. Different eligible nations got little to no likelihood to use and FIFA’s personal analysis rated Saudi Arabia’s bid the ‘best-ever’ with a rating of 4.2.

The bid analysis glossed over the nation’s human rights report after an evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s human rights coverage for the event by regulation agency Clifford Probability. The report acquired a ferocious backlash from human rights teams.

The 2025 World Report of Human Rights Watch notes: “Migrant employees signify 42 p.c of the nation’s inhabitants. But regardless of their indispensable contributions, they face widespread labor abuses throughout employment sectors and geographic areas, and Saudi authorities are systematically failing to guard them from and treatment these abuses. The Constructing and Wooden Staff’ Worldwide Union (BWI) filed a criticism on the Worldwide Labour Group (ILO) in opposition to the Saudi Arabian Authorities relating to the exploitative dwelling and dealing situations amongst Saudi-based migrant employees forward of the December choice by FIFA to grant Saudi Arabia internet hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.”

In 2034, the Center East will welcome the worldwide finals for a second time after the 2022 version in Qatar, which ranked as probably the most controversial sporting occasions in trendy historical past due to the plight of migrant employees.

In November, FIFA introduced a $50 million greenback Qatar legacy fund that centered on social programmes, together with partnerships with UN our bodies, however failed to handle compensation for migrant employees, a measure its personal sub-committee for human rights and social duty had proposed.

Human Rights Watch’s World Report was unequivocal concerning the legacy of the Qatar World Cup. The report reads: “Qatar’s internet hosting of the 2022 FIFA Males’s World Cup left a legacy of widespread migrant labor abuses, together with 1000’s of unexplained deaths, rampant wage theft, and exorbitant recruitment charges. Qatari authorities and FIFA have did not compensate abused employees who made the event doable. Migrant employees additionally confronted new types of exploitation after the event ended and are prone to authorities backtracking on present reforms.”

Qatar and FIFA have at all times mentioned the kafala system has been abolished. In 2020, the Qatari authorities launched reforms, however feeble enforcement on the bottom has meant these reforms typically stay theoretical.

The 2025 World Report explains: “Abusive parts of the kafala system stay intact. Staff nonetheless battle to alter jobs simply as in apply they’re required to acquire signed letters from their authentic employer approving their resignation. Staff are unable to alter jobs even when their employers fail to pay them.

“Qatar dangers backtracking on among the reforms, exemplified by Qatar’s advisory Shura Council’s 2024 proposal to undertake measures that might require migrant employees to acquire their employer’s permission earlier than being allowed to go away the nation. In 2020, Qatar prolonged the reform eradicating the requirement to acquire an exit allow to go away the nation to incorporate home employees.”

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