Qatar sets up shelter, fund for workers in distress

Qatar has set up a shelter and welfare centre to provide assistance and protection to victims of human trafficking and to rehabilitate and integrate them into society, HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi announced Sunday.
The facility will also provide shelter for temporary workers until their exit from the state is ensured, he added.
The minister was speaking on the sidelines of the Filipino community's celebration of the 120th Philippine National Day and the Filipino Migrants Day.
The event was attended by a number of officials from the Philippines and Qatar.
Al-Nuaimi said the Ministry is also in the process of establishing a workers' support fund which would deal with the payment of workers' dues based on the decision of the Labour Dispute Settlement Committee if their employers go bankrupt.
The minister said Qatar has taken a number of measures and integrated laws to protect the rights of workers and to create and provide a healthy and safe working environment. These include a package of policies and legislative amendments to achieve decent work environment for expatriate workers and to establish and promote balanced and productive working relations between the employer and the employee.
He said the state has issued a number of laws in favour of workers, including Law No(1) of 2015, amending certain provisions of the Labour Law. The introduction of the wage protection system is an integral part of the package, which guarantees the transfer of the workers' wages to their local bank accounts, as well as Law No(21) of 2015 regulating the entry and exit of expatriates and their residence, which came into force at the end of 2016.
Al-Nuaimi also referred to Law No13 of 2017 amending certain provisions of the Labour Law, including the establishment of the Labour Dispute Settlement Committees, with a view to establishing a speedy and effective remedy mechanism for the settlement of disputes between the worker and the employer.
He said the implementation of the Domestic Workers Act, as well as the establishment of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking are meant to act as the national co-ordinator for monitoring, preventing and combating human trafficking.
The Minister stressed that under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar is keen to provide a suitable environment for foreign workers who contribute to the country's economic development.
Her praised the role of the 250,000 Filipino community in Qatar's progress, adding the Ministry is keen to overcome all obstacles and ensure the rights of workers through constant communication between the Ministry and the embassy.