Dear Sir,
The interesting and informative news item titled “Independent human rights audit finds high compliance with standards at 2022 projects” in Gulf Times on April 6 comes as no surprise. The efforts exerted by all parties concerned in implementing various welfare standards evolved by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) and enshrined in the Welfare Standards Edition 2 have now started yielding tangible results.
The commendation received from none other than Impact Ltd, human rights experts responsible for auditing the implementation of welfare standards, goes to prove that major strides have already been achieved in protecting and enhancing not only workers’ welfare standards but also in safety, timely payment of wages and health and hygiene, to cite a few.
Credit also goes to the contractors who have complied with the standards stipulated by the SC, the body responsible for the delivery of the required infrastructure and host an amazing and historic 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The welfare standards are innovative and they more than adequately protect the workers’ overall interests and well-being. Now human rights organisations operating worldwide have come to appreciate these novel steps.
As an HR & Welfare professional working in this country for more than a decade, I am proud to witness the progress. Workers from various countries are now keen to come to Qatar to work as they are aware of the fact that this country offers a congenial and safe working environment. I am quite confident that with the sustained efforts of all concerned, Impact Ltd will be able to certify that the welfare standards have not only been fully met but also exceeded their expectations.
V Kalyanaraman, Doha
Chemical attack deserves a better response
Dear Sir,
The chemical attack in the northwestern Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun that claimed more than 80 lives, many of them children, is a grim reminder for the world community to act urgently to stop the gruesome killings of civilians in Syria.
This horrible and unspeakable act of savagery should compel the world leaders to work together to bring the Syrian civil war to an immediate end.
The war in Syria is the worst humanitarian disaster since World War II, unfolding before the international community that has failed so far to act decisively to end the miserable conflict. This civil war has now been going on for over 2,000 days, almost the same duration as that of World War II. During these tragic years, civilians have been heavily targeted, leading to a catastrophic situation resulting in the loss of thousands of innocent lives and driving about half of the Syrian population out of their homes. There cannot be any justification for this scale of human suffering.
Unfortunately, the world community has been mostly silent on this tragic situation except for airing views in the media. The deadly chemical attack by the Syrian regime should have prompted a bigger global outrage and a more fitting international action.
Unfortunately, the UN has become an ornamental institution. It is expected that the new UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres would play a more assertive role and work towards finding a permanent solution to this strife. The Gulf states, India and the new US administration led by President Donald Trump should join hands to put an end to the human suffering in Syria.
Ramesh G Jethwani, Bengaluru (India)
Please send us your letters, By e-mail, [email protected]
