Grave abuses of domestic workers in Qatar

Despite Qatar passing laws aimed at safeguarding the rights of migrant workers, that make up around 90 per cent of the population on the small peninsular nation, the rules are not being followed.

With limitations on the state’s capacity to enforce rights protections and limited access to justice, many migrant workers are in an extremely vulnerable position with no real ability to assert their rights or seek remedy for violations.

There are around 173,000 migrant domestic workers in Qatar. Most of whom have been pushed to breaking point by extreme overwork, lack of rest, and abusive and degrading treatment. 

105 women who had been employed as live-in domestic workers in Qatar are still being abused and violated despite government reforms aimed at improving their working conditions. Some women said they had been victims of serious crimes such as sexual assault.

90 of the 105 women regularly worked more than 14 hours per ay; 89 regularly worked seven days a week; and 87 had their passport confiscated by their employers. Half of the women worked more than 18 hours per day, and most had never had a single day off at all. Some also were not being paid properly, while 40 women suffered verbal and physical abuse. 

They had been sexually abused by their employers or visiting relatives. The sexual abuse ranged from harassment to fondling and rape. Most women felt they could not complain to the police for fear of retaliation by their employers. 

Qatar has utterly failed to hold abusive employers to account, which means there is little to deter future abuses. Practices such as passport confiscation and unpaid wages, which indicate forced labor, are not being automatically investigated, and rarely face consequences even when they refuse to hand passports over or pay dues.

One major flaw in the system is that domestic workers risk losing their legal status, income and a place to stay while their complaints are processed. They need a safe refuge and income to support themselves during the process; however, with a government-run shelter not fully operational, complaining at the Committees is not a viable option for most women.

Cases of physical and sexual abuse are dealt with by criminal courts, but the fact that domestic workers are dependent on their employers for shelter and legal status, coupled with lack of trust in the system, is an obvious deterrent to reporting. Consequently, serious crimes are going unpunished.

The abuses are fostered by a combination of factors, including the lack of inspection mechanisms to ensure compliance with the Domestic Workers Law, and aspects of Qatar’s Sponsorship system which continue to give employers excessive powers over their employees. Many women face obstacles reporting abuse and criminal acts to authorities, and there is widespread impunity.