Research
Gulf Guide Workers crane

Introduction: GIJN Guide to Reporting on Migration in the Gulf Arab Countries

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INTRODUCTION
More than 23 million migrant workers live in the six Middle Eastern countries that make up the political and economic alliance known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Unfortunately, abuse of these workers is widespread, mostly due to the legal framework of the kafala sponsorship system — the legal framework defining the relationship between migrant workers and their employers — which can result in contract violations and dangerous working conditions, benefit unscrupulous traffickers, and cause discord among brokers and employers.

covid
Gulf Guide Living Conditions

Chapter 2 – COVID-19 and Migrant Workers in the Gulf

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While the Gulf states have largely reopened their key sectors, migrants remain vulnerable to employment insecurity and exploitation. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of the pre-existing issues that migrant workers face in the Gulf region, including non-payment of wages, exclusion from social protections, and limited access to healthcare.

covid
Gulf Guide Chapter 1 - Passport_Witheld

Chapter 1 – Best Practices and Suggested Topics in the COVID Era

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This section was written by Migrant-Rights.org’s Vani Saraswathi. Reporting around labor migration in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is often framed around portraying migrant workers as victims, and does not recognize their agency or adequately capture their aspirational journey for a better life for their families and themselves.

debt bondage
Gulf Guide - Labor Camp

Chapter 8 – Key Terms

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Forced labor, human trafficking, and undocumented migration are prevalent across the globe. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, specific and shared characteristics of labor and migration laws and practices facilitate forced labor and human trafficking.

essential reading
Gulf Guide Chapter 4: Workers Salary

Chapter 4 – Essential Reading

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Below we highlight the most critical sources for understanding trafficking, forced labor, and irregular migration issues in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Human Rights Reporting and News
Human Rights Watch: HRW has produced multilingual reporting on the situation of migrant workers and domestic workers in the MENA region since the 2000s.