Rights groups have warned that hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in the Gulf are bearing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, living in cramped labour camps with high infection rates and little support. The workers, who make up half or more of the population in wealthy Gulf states, face heightened exposure to Covid-19 due to unsanitary conditions and lack of social distancing.
Many low-skilled workers from south and south-east Asia and Africa have been stood down from jobs in construction, retail and energy sectors. They remain confined to dormitories, often four to a room, with limited access to healthcare. In Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain, official figures show nearly all Covid-19 cases have been among foreigners, many living in labour camps.
A report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre noted that these conditions provide the perfect environment for the spread of the virus. Quarantines and travel restrictions have exacerbated the situation, leaving workers without income and unable to return home. Gulf states have offered healthcare to infected migrants but are accused of being reluctant to treat large numbers in camps.
Iqbal Rashid, a Pakistani construction worker in Qatar, said: 'They have been here three times and done testing and some of my friends have been taken away. But there are many others here who are sick. And even if I wanted to go home, who is going to help me? We are stuck and helpless.'
The pandemic has highlighted the dependency of Gulf economies on migrant labour, with workers building infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Expo 2020 in Dubai and the G20 summit in Riyadh. Despite hardships, workers continue to flock to the region, sending billions in remittances home.
