Statement by GCO Director in Response to HRW Report
Qatar is committed to its labour reform programme and is constantly reviewing its policies to ensure that migrant workers receive the necessary on-site protections.
Qatar was the first Gulf country to implement restrictions on summer working hours and that these daily restrictions exceeded those in neighbouring countries. In addition to issuing harsh financial penalties, Qatar is also the only country in the Gulf that shuts down companies that are found to be operating in violation of the ban.
We continue to coordinate closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and international NGOs to implement reforms that will improve the health, safety and rights of migrant workers. In March, the government submitted statistics on all work-related deaths in Qatar for 2016 to the ILO, and this data is publicly available on the ILO website.