Human rights groups are cautioning that yet another World Cup may be marred by the fatalities and hardships of underpaid laborers if Fifa fails to promptly address the issue of Saudi Arabia’s exploitation of its foreign workers.
As the sole bidder, Saudi Arabia is almost certain to be anointed by Fifa this year as host of the World Cup in 2034, but rights groups said “workers cannot afford a repeat of Qatar 2022”.
“The lessons of past mistakes seem to be lost on Fifa, as they continue to award lucrative mega-events without proper vetting or transparency. This disregard can have deadly consequences for migrant workers and pose significant human rights concerns,” stated Minky Worden, the Director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch.
The cautions were issued following a probe by The Guardian which uncovered a significant amount of unexplained deaths of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Records from the Bangladeshi government show that between the years 2008 and 2022, 13,685 individuals from Bangladesh passed away in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, over 1,500 deaths were reported, averaging more than four per day.
It is uncertain if the mortality rate correlates with the significant amount of Bangladeshi citizens, estimated to be around 500,000 in 2023, who migrate to Saudi Arabia.
The Guardian revealed that in 2022, 75% of Bangladeshi migrant workers who died in Saudi Arabia were classified as “natural” deaths by the Bangladeshi government, despite undergoing medical tests before coming to the country. The average age of the deceased was 44.
The Guardian has reviewed death certificates from Saudi Arabia and found that they frequently do not mention the main reason for someone’s death. Human rights organizations argue that this lack of information makes the deaths essentially unexplained. According to experts, the difficult living and working conditions, intense heat, and extreme stress endured by many workers could be potential factors in these deaths.
If Fifa chooses Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Cup, there is expected to be a significant rise in the number of workers migrating from Bangladesh to work there.
Saudi Arabia, similar to Qatar, heavily depends on migrant labor, predominantly from south Asia and some African countries. It has a population of over 13 million non-Saudi residents, with Bangladeshis making up the largest group – over 2 million in 2022.
If Saudi Arabia is granted the opportunity to host the World Cup, the dangers that low-wage migrant workers encounter will probably rise, even though the country has implemented a few restricted labor improvements in recent times.
Fifa received harsh backlash for the mistreatment of underpaid migrant workers leading up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. There were reports of deaths, forced labor, and exploitative working conditions among migrant workers.
Amnesty International’s migrant labour rights researcher, Ella Knight, called upon Saudi authorities to thoroughly investigate all “unexplained” deaths. This request comes in light of evidence linking premature deaths to unsafe working conditions. Knight stated that the workers cannot endure another situation like that of Qatar in 2022, and the immense suffering that accompanied it.
According to Amnesty International, the results should place significant burden on Fifa to clarify how Saudi Arabia can adhere to the human rights and labor regulations that are expected to be met by host countries. A resolution on the hosting of the competition is expected to be made this year.
Steve Cockburn, the director of Amnesty International’s economic and social justice division, stated that Fifa needs to clarify their human rights policies for hosts and be willing to suspend the bidding process if significant human rights concerns are not effectively resolved.
The Alliance for Sports and Rights warned that Fifa may lose its ability to require Saudi Arabia to make legally binding commitments to human rights if it simply awards the country the World Cup without any competition.
Although the Gulf kingdom has declared the abolishment of the kafala system, which limits workers to their employer, Knight asserts that Fifa should require reliable assurances that this system is completely dismantled.
According to a government announcement, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development highlighted advancements in workers’ rights that have been achieved in recent years. These include getting rid of the kafala system, implementing a wage protection system, and putting regulations in place for the hiring of foreign workers.
The statement stated that we are dedicated to consistently enhancing labor practices and will persist in our efforts to protect the well-being and rights of all workers in the kingdom.
Additionally, the statement stated that they have strong regulations and standards in place to protect the rights of workers. They also conduct thorough investigations into any incidents that occur in the workplace. In cases where there are fatalities, they follow international standards and perform autopsies when necessary.
“Official records of death are distributed in a clear and open manner, following predetermined and monitored procedures. Allegations of carelessness or limited openness in this matter are without evidence.”
Despite numerous efforts, Fifa did not reply to inquiries for a statement.
Source: theguardian.com
