The family of Mohammad Suman Miah, a Bangladeshi migrant worker who died suddenly aged 34 after working outside all day in temperatures that reached 38°C © Private
Only transparent and fully disaggregated data based on proper investigation and classification of the death of non-Qataris will allow Qatar to devise appropriate and adequate public policies to prevent such foreseeable deaths and protect the lives of migrant workers. Until this happens, Qatar will continue to fail to adequately protect the right to life of thousands of workers at risk of unnecessary premature death. By failing to investigate and certify these deaths, it is also breaching its obligation to provide victims of human rights violations and their families with an effective remedy.
FAILURE TO PROVIDE REMEDY While Qatar’s Labour Law does provide deceased workers’ families with the right to compensation in the event of their family member dying “by reason of work”, its “list of occupational diseases” does not include deaths resulting from heat stress. Most importantly, the lack of meaningful investigations into the causes of many deaths of workers means that any potential link to working conditions – especially in cases where exposure to heat stress may be a factor – is not made. Indeed, none of the family members of the migrant workers interviewed in the course of this research received any compensation from Qatar. As a result, they faced the double blow of losing their loved one and facing severe financial insecurity.
REALITY CHECK 2021: A YEAR TO THE 2022 WORLD CUP THE STATE OF MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN QATAR Amnesty International
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