ST1976
Trusted Member
The "violation of sovereignty" in the context of Gulf migrant workers often refers to the Kafala (sponsorship) system, which grants private citizens or companies ("kafeels") excessive control over the legal status, mobility, and personal liberties of foreign workers, effectively acting as an extension of state power that overrides individual rights and sometimes the sovereignty of the worker's home country. These practices often lead to situations of forced labour, debt bondage, and human rights abuses that are inconsistent with international conventions.
Key issues highlighting these violations include:
The "Kafala System" & Restricted Freedom: The system links a worker’s legal status directly to their employer, meaning workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without the employer's permission.
Passport Confiscation: A nearly universal practice where employers retain worker passports to prevent them from leaving or complaining.
Wage Theft: Widespread failure to pay wages, or underpayment, which is rarely prosecuted, leaving millions of workers without their earnings.
"Forced Labour & Abuse": Workers, particularly in construction and domestic sectors, face long hours (up to 84 hours a week), poor living conditions, physical/sexual abuse, and, in some cases, forced labor, such as in Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project where over 21,000 deaths have been recorded.
Key issues highlighting these violations include:
The "Kafala System" & Restricted Freedom: The system links a worker’s legal status directly to their employer, meaning workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without the employer's permission.
Passport Confiscation: A nearly universal practice where employers retain worker passports to prevent them from leaving or complaining.
Wage Theft: Widespread failure to pay wages, or underpayment, which is rarely prosecuted, leaving millions of workers without their earnings.
"Forced Labour & Abuse": Workers, particularly in construction and domestic sectors, face long hours (up to 84 hours a week), poor living conditions, physical/sexual abuse, and, in some cases, forced labor, such as in Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project where over 21,000 deaths have been recorded.


