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Satyendra Pathak
Doha
Top officials of International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Building and Wood Worker's International (BWI) on Saturday praised Qatar for taking measures to ensure rights and safety of expatriate workers in the country.
Talking to Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of the second conference of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Doha to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, ILO Deputy Director General of Operations and Partnerships Mousa Oumaro said Qatar has made remarkable progress in providing safe working conditions for workers engaged in projects related to 2022 FIFA World Cup.
"We are satisfied with Qatar's commitment at this stage to protect workers' rights. Qatar's achievements at the institutional and legislative levels to guarantee these rights are quite remarkable," Oumaro said.
Oumaro, who is to open ILO office in Qatar on Sunday, said the global body is committed to working with Qatar in achieving international standards in the field of labour, promoting the rights of expatriate workers and providing an environment conducive to sustainable development.
The opening of ILO office in Doha, Oumaro said, will take forward the joint technical cooperation programme signed by Qatar and ILO to ensure that the companies engaged in the World Cup projects comply with the laws and regulations protecting workers.
"The ILO office opening is renewal of this commitment by Qatar and ILO to address all issues related to workers. Workers can approach the ILO office directly with their problems. The ILO officials will discuss the case with them. We will help them prepare files and submit them through the national mechanism of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs. We will follow up regularly with the ministry to ensure that there is a speedy process in the place to resolve issues," he said.
Qatar has already put in place several mechanisms like dispute settlement committee and national complaint mechanism to resolve matters quickly, he said, adding the ILO officials would assist and ensure that interests of workers are protected.
Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) Secretary-General Ambit Yusen also praised Qatar for achieving remarkable progress in ensuring workers' safety and protection of their rights in the country.
By organising OSH events at regular intervals, Yusen said, Qatar gives a strong signal that the safety of workers is a top priority.
Referring to various site visits in Qatar by BWI, Yusen said, œMany work sites in Qatar adopt the best international security and safety procedures. The work environment for construction projects in Qatar has witnessed significant developments leading to improved working conditions and safe and secure environment for the workers. ?
BWI Deputy-President Dietmar Schaefers said there was a marked improvement in Qatar's work sites in the last three years. Referring to the visit of BWI delegation to Doha three years ago to assess the worksites and workers' housing, he said, œSince then, we have witnessed remarkable development in terms of security and safety procedures, medical services and other services for workers. ?
A senior official of trauma centre at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), who participated in the conference, told Qatar Tribune that the number of work-related injuries have dropped by at least 40 percent in the period from 2013 to 2017. The official said a detailed report on workers' injuries will be unveiled on May 1 during an event of Qatar Chamber.
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29/04/2018
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