View this email in your browser ([link removed])
[link removed]
As we enter the second half of the year, GCC states are claiming reforms and greater protections for migrant worker rights. But there is little evidence that demonstrates real progress.

One of the key problems faced by workers is the high costs of migration due to poor recruitment practices at home and even weaker regulations at destination.

[link removed]
Join Migrant-Rights.org in a discussion drawing on FairSquare’s Five Corridors Project. Register here. ([link removed])
Reports
[link removed]

The emergence of the vaccine passport ([link removed])

Origin countries scramble to meet vaccination requirements, as prospective and stranded migrant workers struggle without jobs

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

Oman’s discriminatory vaccine policies ([link removed])

Oman is the only GCC state that has excluded migrants in its free vaccination drive. Though the government has promised to vaccinate migrants, only a handful have received free vaccines and no timeline for expansion has been provided.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

Bahrain includes irregular migrants in its Covid-19 vaccination drive ([link removed])

Most GCC states are providing Covid-19 vaccinations to non-citizen residents free of charge. In a recent positive development, the Bahraini government has begun to register and vaccinate irregular migrants with the cooperation of embassies and migrant community groups.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

The Wide Gap Between C189 and Laws Pertaining to Domestic Workers in the GCC ([link removed])

None of the GCC states, who in total employ close to 4 million migrant domestic workers, have ratified the convention, though some claim their laws or contracts meet the standards. MR reviews the gap between C189 and laws in the region.


[link removed]

Summer midday work ban fails to adequately protect workers ([link removed])

With the exception of Qatar, the bans are based on arbitrary calendar dates rather than on real daytime temperatures, leaving workers exposed to dangerous levels of heat stress.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

Searching outside the Gulf for better models of labour migration ([link removed])

Can 'temporary' migration schemes ever be pro-worker?

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

“I am not a business lady” ([link removed])

Bahrain’s anti-sex work policies lead to abuse, arbitrary arrest, and deportation of migrant women who aren’t engaged in prostitution

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

Elderly parents of expatriates in Saudi continue to live in uncertainty ([link removed])

Difficulty in obtaining residence permits and sky-high healthcare costs leave many elderly dependents in a constant state of flux.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

Job loss and wage theft: The grim reality of Kuwait’s F&B sector ([link removed])

The already struggling Food and Beverage (F&B) sector has been hit hard, with operations suspended or restricted multiple times since the start of the pandemic.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

The Flexi Permit Experiment: No Kafala, but poor labour practices persist ([link removed])

Strong, inclusive labour codes and implementation mechanisms are needed to protect rights of migrant workers

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]

Correct terminology doesn’t erase systemic injustices ([link removed])

Saudi Arabia banning the use of 'servant' does little to improve the lot of domestic workers

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

[link removed]
قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])
Latest News

Bahrain launches two new hotlines to report cases involving sponsors who charge migrant workers for job transfers and issues relating to human trafficking crime ([link removed])

While a step in the right direction, there are several measures the government must adopt in order to ensure the hotline is accessible and practical.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])
Qatar launches a unified platform to file complaints ([link removed])

The platform includes both private-sector employees as well as those who fall under the domestic worker law. The platform also allows for anonymous (whistleblower) complaints.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])
Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority announces temporary ban on issuing work permits to migrant workers from Covid-19 red-list countries ([link removed])

The ban also applies to migrant workers who are vaccinated against Covid-19.

قراءة باللغة العربية ([link removed])

Migrant-Rights.org ([link removed]) is closely monitoring Covid-19 developments and updating our coverage regularly. Follow us on Twitter @MigrantRights ([link removed]) for our latest news and commentary.

New! Follow us on Instagram @MigrantRights. ([link removed])

============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
** Email (mailto:[email protected])
Our work wouldn't be possible without your support.

** Donate ([link removed])
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.