카타르 과학커뮤니티개발 재단, 외국인 노동자 고용실태 보고서 발표 QF examines foreign labour recruitment into Qatar
카타르 과학커뮤니티개발 재단이 160페이지에 이르는 카타르내 외국인 노동자 고용실태 보고서를 발표했다.
최근 카타르 월드컵 경기장 건설에서의 네팔 등 수백명의 외국인 노동인력의 사망 등 참담한 고용상태로 국제적으로
큰 주목을 받은 바 있다.
QF examines foreign labour recruitment into Qatar
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) has released a 160-page report examining foreign labour recruitment into Qatar with an aim to address the current issues surrounding low-skilled migrant workers’ rights in the country.
Published by Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation digitally on qscience.com, the 'Migrant Labour Recruitment to Qatar' study was conducted to provide a clearer understanding of the various people, institutions and issues involved in recruitment and hiring practices of migrant workers to Qatar.
The report, which was commissioned as part of the Qatar Foundation Migrant Worker Welfare Initiative, examines ways in which reforms that enshrine workers' rights and employment conditions according to international labour and human rights standards could take place.
Commenting on the release of the report, Jassim Telefat, group executive director of Qatar Foundation's Capital Projects and Facilities Management, said: “The Qatar Foundation Migrant Worker Welfare Initiative is dedicated to addressing the issue of low-skilled migrant workers' rights in a comprehensive and transparent manner as part of Qatar Foundation's continued support of the Qatar National Vision 2030.”
"It seeks to ensure that all contractors, subcontractors or suppliers who work with QF are upholding proper standards in their treatment of employees, a crucial element of which is the recruitment process,” he said.
"As this impressive report demonstrates, many people are currently being forced to make illegal payments to unscrupulous employment agents in their home countries in order to secure Qatari work visas,” Telefat explained. “The result is that these individuals are placed in long-term debt,” he added. “We are not prepared to tolerate this type of arrangement, and are working to address the issue as a matter of priority.”
Compiled by Dr Ray Jureidini, associate professor of sociology at the Institute for Migration Studies at the Lebanese American University, and director of research at the Centre of Design Innovation at Qatar Foundation, the report is based on a study conducted to ascertain the financial and procedural circumstances that give rise to basic human rights violations during labour recruitment in so-called “sending countries”.
The results of the study comprise interviews and discussion groups with migrant workers, government representatives, recruitment agencies, academics, NGOs and international agencies in each of the five main labour sending countries: Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.
Key discussion topics included recruitment, regulations, financing, contracts, pre-deployment preparation, recruitment agency policies and practices, visas, remittances and wage rates. The discussions led to key findings in all five countries visited, where workers reported common rights violations in advance of arrival in Qatar.
The discussions resulted in 10 key recommendations outlined in the report, which include government-to-government collaboration, standardised financing rules prior to coming to Qatar, the use of accredited ethical recruitment agencies, labour suppliers contracts in Qatar, standardised contracts and procedures, visas, wages, transfer of employment, exit visas and passports, and pre or post-departure orientation and financial, health and family preparation.
According to QF, some of the findings from the early stages of the study have already resulted in reform measures being employed in the Mandatory Standards for Migrant Worker Welfare for Contractors and Subcontractors recently released by the organisation.
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