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At least 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have died during the 10-year construction of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup facilities due to shoddy work conditions and lack of training, according to the Guardian. The shocking figure is likely grossly under estimated since no figures are available for migrant deaths from the workers from Kenya or the Philippines.
Massive works are under way in addition to the conversion of the Khalifa Stadium and the construction of seven additional World Cup level stadiums including a new airport, new hotels, new roads and public transportation and an entire new city being built just for the World Cup final celebrations.
Qatar’s human rights record has been the subject of scrutiny since the nation won the bid to host the international event. Amnesty International published a damning report accusing the wealthy country of lying to migrants to entice them to come work. Many workers paid hefty fees to recruitment firms hired by the Qatari government to cover transportation and accommodation. Many of them could not afford the fees so they were given loans they have to pay back.
Once in Qatar, they are allegedly forced to live in squalid conditions and are often not paid in a timely manner or what they were promised. “Workers often live in cramped, dirty and unsafe accommodation,” Amnesty International reported. “Recruitment agents also make false promises about the salary workers will receive, and the type of job on offer. One worker was promised a salary of US$300 a month in Nepal, but this turned out to be US$190 once he started work in Qatar.”
Payments are also often delayed, leaving workers unable to send money back home or make payments on recruitment-related loans they were often forced to take out.
The Guardian estimates that in the last 10 years since Qatar won the bid to host the event, an average of 12 migrant workers from the south Asian nations have died each week. That figure could be twice as high if records on other migrant deaths are released.
Massive works are under way in addition to the conversion of the Khalifa Stadium and the construction of seven additional World Cup level stadiums including a new airport, new hotels, new roads and public transportation and an entire new city being built just for the World Cup final celebrations.
Qatar’s human rights record has been the subject of scrutiny since the nation won the bid to host the international event. Amnesty International published a damning report accusing the wealthy country of lying to migrants to entice them to come work. Many workers paid hefty fees to recruitment firms hired by the Qatari government to cover transportation and accommodation. Many of them could not afford the fees so they were given loans they have to pay back.
Once in Qatar, they are allegedly forced to live in squalid conditions and are often not paid in a timely manner or what they were promised. “Workers often live in cramped, dirty and unsafe accommodation,” Amnesty International reported. “Recruitment agents also make false promises about the salary workers will receive, and the type of job on offer. One worker was promised a salary of US$300 a month in Nepal, but this turned out to be US$190 once he started work in Qatar.”
Payments are also often delayed, leaving workers unable to send money back home or make payments on recruitment-related loans they were often forced to take out.
The Guardian estimates that in the last 10 years since Qatar won the bid to host the event, an average of 12 migrant workers from the south Asian nations have died each week. That figure could be twice as high if records on other migrant deaths are released.
