A report by the FIFA Sub-Committee on Human Rights & Social Responsibility addressed a request from the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) at the FIFA Congress regarding compensating workers involved in constructing Qatar’s World Cup stadiums.
FIFA recently announced a $50 million legacy fund for social programs but faced criticism from Amnesty International for not directly addressing the families of migrant workers who faced exploitation or death during the construction process.
While the Middle Eastern country has denied allegations of worker exploitation, the report acknowledges that some workers have not received adequate remediation for their contributions to the successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
It states that although the primary responsibility lies with the employers and the Government of Qatar, FIFA also has a duty to take additional measures to provide remedies to these workers.
The report highlights various “human rights impacts” suffered by workers from 2010-2022, including fatalities, injuries, non-payment of wages for extended periods, and debt incurred by workers and their families due to job procurement fees.
It criticizes the due diligence measures implemented by FIFA and its partners, stating that they failed to prevent these severe issues.
Towards Fair Compensation
NFF president Lise Klaveness emphasized that the report offers clear guidelines on effective and fair restitution, ensuring migrant workers receive their entitled compensation. She urged FIFA to implement the report’s recommendations and ensure fair compensation for migrant workers who contributed to the World Cup.
In response, FIFA stated that it conducted a comprehensive review, considering all reports and recommendations. While acknowledging that not all recommendations could be met, they retained practical and impactful elements. FIFA also clarified that the study was not a legal assessment of the obligation to remedy, according to a spokesperson speaking to Reuters.
The spokesperson further highlighted the establishment of the legacy fund and the Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund in Qatar in 2018, with the latter providing over $350 million in compensation to workers, primarily for non-payment of wages.
Amnesty and other rights groups have continued to call for FIFA to allocate $440 million, matching the World Cup prize money, to compensate migrant workers for human rights abuses.
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