Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a detailed report highlighting serious human rights abuses faced by migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. The report outlines a pattern of exploitation, including unpaid wages, forced relocations, unexpected contractual changes, inadequate safety measures, and harsh working conditions. These issues are compounded by the country’s restrictive Kafalah system, where workers’ rights are tied to their employers’ sponsorship, leaving many vulnerable to abuse.
The HRW report is particularly significant as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a global sports host, including its bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Concerns have been raised about potential labor abuses in constructing stadiums and infrastructure for such events. HRW criticized the ongoing inadequacies in labor reforms like the Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), which, despite offering legal pathways for job mobility, are poorly enforced and fail to adequately protect workers.
The Kafalah system grants employers significant control over migrant workers, including the power to revoke sponsorships, leaving workers unable to stay or seek other jobs in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, workers face limited rights to collective bargaining and freedom of expression. HRW notes that some employers force migrants to sign restrictive contracts, further exacerbating the problem.
In response, HRW proposed a series of recommendations to Saudi authorities and migrant workers’ home countries. Suggestions include strengthening labor laws, improving safety standards, and abolishing exploitative work visa policies. HRW also called on the governments of migrants’ home countries to collaborate with Saudi Arabia to ensure fair treatment of their nationals and better enforcement of labor rights.
Saudi Arabia has previously faced international criticism over human rights violations, including labor rights abuses and the suppression of dissent. Despite these allegations, the country is a signatory to International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions that prohibit forced labor and wage withholding. FIFA’s bidding protocols also require host nations to adhere to international labor and human rights standards, increasing scrutiny on Saudi Arabia’s practices as it pursues the World Cup bid.
HRW emphasizes that without meaningful reforms and enforcement of existing labor standards, migrant workers in Saudi Arabia will remain at risk of exploitation, further tarnishing the country’s global image.