Post-World Cup, Qatar is pressing ahead with labor reforms but concerns for migrant workers remain
The enduring image of the 2022 World Cup was Lionel Messi holding aloft soccer’s biggest prize in Qatar's spectacular Lusail Stadium
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — When Qatar hosted the World Cup a little over a year ago, the wealthy emirate faced intense scrutiny over its human rights record, especially the treatment of migrant workers who helped build the glitzy stadiums.
The issue has faded to the background as Qatar once again plays host to a major international soccer tournament – this time the Asian Cup, which ends Saturday with the host nation playing Jordan in the final.
The U.N.-backed International Labor Organization says reforms introduced following the World Cup have improved the situation of migrant workers, while adding that more needs to be done. Meanwhile, human rights group Amnesty International says migrant workers still face abuses.
“In Qatar, we have recognized that there have been some improvements in recent years with the introduction of labor reforms, but that those reforms remain weakly implemented and severe abuse continues on a significant scale,” Amnesty’s head of economic social justice, Stephen Cockburn, told The AP.
