Since the Guardian, in 2013, announced that the 2022 World Cup construction sites in Qatar had caused the death in ten years of 6,500 workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the subject is highly sensitive. And with him, that of working conditions in the gas Emirate. The Qatari authorities have virulently refuted the use made of these figures by the English media. They deny that all the deaths are directly attributable to the work for the World Cup. And recognize only three deaths in accidents at work since 2014 and the start of construction of stadiums and 35 "related".
While she evokes an "error of interpretation" for the Guardian's report, the International Labor Organization (ILO), a UN agency which has an office in Doha, regretted not having the precise data of years to be able to argue more.
“But we have had them since 2020,” the ILO told us in October.
It is on these bases that the organization relied for its report, made public this Friday morning.
Migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Nepal
“An in-depth analysis of the number of work-related deaths and injuries in Qatar, carried out by the International Labor Organization, showed that 50 workers lost their lives in 2020, just over 500 were seriously injured, and 37,600 suffered minor to moderate injuries in the course of their work, it is detailed. Most of the victims are migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Nepal, mainly in the construction sector. Falls from heights and traffic accidents are the leading causes of serious injuries, followed by falling objects on construction sites. "
The ILO says that “the report's release follows growing calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding work-related deaths in Qatar, particularly those related to World Cup infrastructure projects. ". In particular, the construction of seven stadiums and the renovation of an eighth. In a statement, Rafael Consunji, director of the injury prevention program at Hamad Trauma Center, welcomed the "most complete and accurate picture of work-related accidents in Qatar to date". The ILO, identifying gaps in data collection, regrets being unable to "present a categorical figure on the number of fatal work accidents in the country".
This requires improving "the quality and accuracy of data collection, and increased efforts to investigate injuries and deaths potentially related to work but not categorized as such".
These are natural deaths, or by cardiac arrest in particular.
280,000 benefited from a new minimum wage
A few days ago, an Amnesty International report pointed to "the very trying daily reality" of migrant workers, adding that Qatar "has not respected the abolition of the sponsorship system or their protection". Asked about this by Le Parisien-Today in France, the organization of work answers: “We have seen real progress for three years, even if everyone recognizes that there is still work. More than 240,000 workers were able to change jobs, more than 280,000 benefited from a new minimum wage. These changes have occurred at an impressive rate, which has drawn backlash and resistance from some quarters.We continue to work with the government and the social partners to put in place the new institutions that will apply and enforce these reforms. "
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Qatar, for its part, rejected the findings of Amnesty International's report. “Qatar has never hesitated to recognize that its working system is still being developed,” the authorities responded. The government is committed to working constructively with international partners and to listening to criticism. The reality is that no other country has come this far in such a short time. Following Qatar's lead, and as a sign of the program's wider impact, other countries in the region have now taken steps to introduce their own labor reforms. Despite Amnesty's criticism, Qatar will continue to work constructively with a range of experts to move forward. "
Qatar is preparing to celebrate on Sunday the one year since the start of its World Cup which will be held in 8 stadiums from November 21 to December 18, 2022. France, defending champion, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Serbia, Denmark and England have already qualified.