Human Rights Watch (HRW) has sharply criticized Gulf states for what it deems \u201cinadequate\u201d measures to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat, calling for more robust safeguards to address heat-related health risks. The organization\u2019s condemnation highlights ongoing concerns about the well-being of migrant labourers in the region, who are exposed to severe temperatures without sufficient protection.<\/p>\n
In a statement released on Thursday, Michael Page, HRW\u2019s deputy director for the Middle East, denounced current regulations that restrict outdoor work during peak heat hours. Despite these measures, HRW argues they fall short of preventing serious heat-related health issues such as fainting, vomiting, and in extreme cases, death.<\/p>\n
Michael Page asserted that the temperatures reached unprecedented levels globally,\u00a0 and ulf states should be leaders in implementing strong heat protections to safeguard outdoor workers, not passive bystanders. He emphasized that migrant workers in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar face severe risks, including chronic health conditions and fatalities due to the extreme heat.<\/p>\n
The critique comes amidst rising temperatures worldwide, which exacerbate the challenges faced by outdoor labourers in the Gulf. HRW\u2019s statement underscores a broader call for enhanced protective measures, including better enforcement of heat regulations, improved access to hydration and medical care, and more comprehensive occupational safety standards.<\/p>\n
The Gulf states have been under increasing pressure to address labour conditions, particularly concerning the vast number of migrant workers who drive the region\u2019s economic engine. While some progress has been made, HRW\u2019s latest report suggests that existing protections remain insufficient to safeguard workers from the harsh realities of extreme heat. The organization urges Gulf nations to lead by example in implementing stringent measures to ensure the health and safety of their outdoor workforce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Michael Page emphasized that migrant workers in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar face severe risks, including chronic health conditions and fatalities due to the extreme heat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":414,"featured_media":29647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,39,46],"tags":[5648,73,13299,16889,431,3525,429,12824],"class_list":["post-29638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-qatar","category-saudi-arabia","category-united-arab-emirates","tag-gulf-countries","tag-human-rights-watch","tag-international-affairs","tag-michael-page","tag-qatar","tag-saudia-arabia","tag-uae","tag-workers"],"reading_time":"2 min read","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/414"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}