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A New York based global advocacy group on Tuesday released a released a set of guidelines it says construction companies in the Gulf Arab states should follow to ensure basic rights for migrant workers.  

Human Rights Watch  (HRW) says its latest recommendations aim to shift the focus toward employers and to address some of the biggest abuses facing millions of low-paid labourers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other members of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

Basic rights

They include ensuring that contractors and sub-contractors pay all recruiting fees, provide workers with places to keep their passports, provide decent accommodation, abide by requirements for maximum working hours and overtime pay, and pay workers their full wages on time. 

HRW also urged companies to appoint outside monitors to ensure workers are receiving basic labour protections in practice, not just on paper.  

"In the face of rampant abuse and exploitation of worker's rights in GCC countries, construction firms need to step up to protect their workforce," said the group's Middle East director, Sarah Leah Whitson.  

Human Rights Watch says recruiting costs can run as high as $3,000 and that it can take labourers up to three years to pay those fees back.

Migrant workers in the Gulf are employed under a sponsorship system known as kafala that effectively ties workers to their employer and makes it difficult for them to change jobs without getting their boss' approval. Activists say the system leaves workers open to abuse. 

It is common for workers to pay hefty fees to recruiters back home to secure employment, which for many turns out to be different than what was promised once they arrive.

Human Rights Watch says recruiting costs can run as high as $3,000 and that it can take labourers up to three years to pay those fees back.  

Many labourers in the Gulf construction industry come from South Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Gulf labour laws changing

Saudi Arabia, the region's biggest economy, this year implemented a number of amendments to its labour law that imposed or increased penalties for violations. The Emirates is putting in place reforms starting Jan. 1 aimed at tightening oversight of employment agreements. 

Qatar, which has faced intense scrutiny over its labour practices since winning the rights to host the 2022 World Cup, has made changes to its labor policies too. Its government communications office acknowledged this week that labour reform "is still a work in progress."  

Activists say more needs to be done.