Several concerns have been raised against the choice of Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup tournament.
The protests have mostly centered on Human Rights issues
Netherlands recently joined Germany and Norway in making Qatar human rights protest prior to World Cup qualifier
Norway coach Staale Solbakken said that the protest was an attempt to put “pressure on FIFA to be even more direct, even firmer with the authorities in Qatar, to impose stricter requirements”.
Netherlands boss Frank de Boer, stated: “A lot of attention is now focused on whether we should go there if we qualify.
“It is right to ask that question. Everyone knows that what is happening there is not good.
“Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have said that if we go there, we can better promote the cause.”
However, when I was reading on this development, a few thoughts about how Qatar has improved on its human rights records came to mind which I want to share.
Qatar has initiated and effectively implemented several human and Labour rights reforms that the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and even the United Nations Human Rights Commission have all applauded.
Of course, there is room for improvement. You do not condemn a country making genuine efforts to change rather you encourage and support her to sustain the reform gains made.
The African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation in a statement signed by Kwasi Adu-Amankwah – General Secretary noted that Qatar took some stepps to ensure human rights are respected in the country.
‘The statement said “ITUC-Africa welcomes the recent announcement by the Qatar government to abolish exit permits for migrant workers.
“We commend the Qatar government for the obvious show of genuine commitment towards meeting her pledge made to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to effectively reform her labour laws so as to bring them in conformity with ILO Conventions and other international statutes. Indeed, since August 2017, Qatar has commenced a holistic review of her Labour Codes to rid them of vestiges that facilitate and promote human and labour rights abuses.
“This development is particularly welcome for Africa because many of her labour migrants to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have been subjected to all manner of exploitation, abuse and slave practices on account of the exit permit, which is one of the elements of the kafala sponsorship system for labour recruitment in the GCC states.
“We call on other GCC states and Gulf countries, notably Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman to undertake similar reforms to their labour codes with the view to protect and secure the rights of workers, especially migrant workers who constitute the majority of the workforce. In particular, ITUC-Africa is of the view that a genuine labour code review by Saudi
“Arabia, being the biggest GCC economy, will send a positive and inspirational signal to the other members of the GCC states to also commit to reform like Qatar is doing.
“ITUC-Africa also calls on African governments, especially those that have signed Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements (BLMAs) with GCC states to see and use this exit permit abolition by Qatar as an inspiration to renegotiate BLMAs that have Kafala system provisions and to replace them with better human and labour rights protection clauses.”
Rather than have the national soccer team’s protest against Qatar despite her improving human rights records and performance, a more urgent and priority protest will be one against the seeming coronavirus vaccine national war staged by rich and powerful countries who are hoarding COVID-19 vaccines to the detriment of poor and developing countries.
By Laud Nartey, a Ghanaian Media Practitioner
