HRW Report: Migrant Worker Deaths in Saudi Arabia Ahead of 2034 World Cup

Gruesome Workplace Fatalities in Saudi Arabia

• ⚠️ Scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia have died in gruesome yet avoidable workplace accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and decapitation.
• 🎯 These fatalities are occurring as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup.
• 💡 Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that the risks could increase as the building of stadiums and infrastructure accelerates.

Misclassification and Lack of Compensation

• 🕵️ Many worker deaths are wrongly classified as natural causes, preventing investigations into the circumstances.
• ⚖️ Families of deceased workers struggle to repatriate bodies and are often denied compensation they rightfully deserve.
• ⏳ In some cases, families have fought for up to 15 years to receive compensation after the death of a loved one.

Inadequate Safety Measures and Legal Obligations

• 🏗️ Saudi laws oblige companies with over 50 employees to ensure worker protection and social security, including against extreme heat.
• 📉 However, HRW investigations reveal that the safety measures effectively taken on the ground are grossly inadequate.
• 📢 With the 2034 World Cup approaching, the increased construction projects and scores of migrant workers heighten the risk of further tragedies if serious measures are not implemented.

FIFA's Role and Lessons from Qatar

• ⚽ HRW sent a letter to FIFA, urging them to learn from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where similar abuses of migrant workers occurred.
• 📝 FIFA responded with a vague promise to work on a general policy for worker welfare, which HRW described as lip service without concrete details.
• 🔍 FIFA is expected to enforce human rights policies, including migrant worker safety, but has not adequately done so in Qatar and appears to be repeating the pattern with Saudi Arabia.

Attracting Migrant Workers and Advocating for Change

• 💰 Migrant workers are lured by the promise of a decent salary to support their families back home.
• 📄 Abuses include workers finding different jobs or lower salaries than what was specified in their contracts in their home countries.
• 📢 HRW advocates for countries of origin to educate their populations about potential risks and continues to document violations, expose them, and apply pressure on international organizations like FIFA to ensure accountability.