In April and May 2020 we approached eight client companies and organisations to ask them what steps they were taking to protect migrant workers on their construction projects in the context of COVID-19. The question we asked can be viewed here. We received only one response.

As the coronavirus pandemic spread to the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries in March 2020, the Qatar and UAE Governments took action to limit spread of the infection including closing entertainment and leisure venues and directing the majority of private sector employees to work from home.  Despite these far-reaching moves, the construction sector with its almost exclusively migrant worker workforce, has been allowed to continue to operate in both countries as an exception. Although both governments have stated they implemented measures to protect workers from infection there continues to be concern that workers are at increased risk of infection due to poor and cramped living and working conditions which make social distancing impossible.  

Construction companies have rightly been the subject of considerable media scrutiny regarding their approach to workers’ welfare and how they are supporting workers who are unable to work due to COVID-19. Following an outbreak of coronavirus among construction workers in a Qatar labour camp raised concerns for workers’ welfare, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reached out to 14 construction companies to invite them to answer questions on the steps they were taking to prevent spread and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.

However, real estate developers, private individuals and holding companies – behind construction projects (referred to as “Clients” in the industry) have so far avoided scrutiny despite the huge financial and cultural capital they provide to projects. Client control over the tendering process, the timeline for project completion means their commercial decisions and instructions to construction companies have huge impacts on workers and how they are treated (see our blog on the isse of client responsibility for construction worker welfare here).

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre contacted the clients behind eight high-profile and high-value projects in Qatar and the UAE to invite them to respond to a series of questions regarding the welfare of the migrant workers employed on their projects. Disappointingly only one company, Azizi Developments, responded to us despite repeated attempts to engage with the companies.