Foreign laborers in Qatar can’t afford a lockdown

There are more than 2 million migrant workers in Qatar—a significant number given that the country’s overall population is just 2.6 million. In recent years the foreign laborer population in Qatar has swelled as the country has undergone a construction boom ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is set to be held there.

As the coronavirus pandemic edges its way across Qatar, the migrant workers’ cramped living quarters with no access to health care or proper sanitation imperils an already highly vulnerable group of people.

With fewer than 1,000 days to go until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicks off, migrant workers have been toiling on stadium and infrastructure projects worth an estimated $200 billion. While Qatar has now shut down all public spaces, construction workers are still working on a variety of projects despite the fact that hundreds of cases of the coronavirus have spread among their communities.

As the virus continues to spread, it is vital that Qatari authorities ensure that all migrant workers have not only access to testing but also appropriate medical treatment. Campaigners are demanding that those who are unable to work—either due to quarantine or from testing positive for the coronavirus—continue to receive wages as promised and that all migrants are able to access timely and adequate protective measures. If not, there can be little doubt that cases will explode among migrant workers.