"US trafficking report highlights Qatar efforts", 28 July 2015

Qatar has been making significant efforts to fully comply with the minimum standards for elimination of human trafficking, a US State Department report has observed.The Trafficking in Humans Report 2015, which was issued yesterday, placed Qatar on the Tier 2 Watch List, the same as last year. The report, while highlighting a number of steps taken by the Qatar government to address trafficking-related concerns, has also expressed concern over some issues and made a series of recommendations. In February, the government enacted legislation requiring employers to pay workers electronically and increased penalties for employers violating the labour code, the report noted. Employers were given six months to begin its implementation. The government reported 422 identified trafficking victims, 228 of whom were victims of forced labour, a substantial increase from 62 reported the previous year. It also conducted visits to work sites throughout the country, meeting labourers and educating them and their employers on trafficking regulations...