National Human Rights Committee raises awareness on heat stress impact!
Qatar has done a lot for the upliftment of workers and workers’ rights in the recent past.
Keeping up with the solid work being done on the ground, Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) has come up with an awareness campaign about the impact of heat stress on workers’ physical and mental health in the work environment.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of efforts by all stakeholders to implement the country’s legal decisions regarding the prevention and prohibition of work in high-temperature places.
National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Launches Awareness Campaign on Impact of Heat Stress in Work Environment. #QNA#Qatarhttps://t.co/A949HZmZLa pic.twitter.com/OjkR7hxLSY
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) July 23, 2023
Targeted mainly at workers in the construction industry and delivery services sectors, the campaign seeks to enhance the protection of the rights of expatriate workers and address any gaps in implementation that would prevent complete protection.
NHRC Chairperson Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah said Qatar had over the years succeeded in improving its human rights record, ensuring human dignity and enjoyment of the right to a decent life based on the foundations of freedom, justice, equality, and tolerance.
“NHRC has always advocated the need to respect and protect the rights of workers and it led to the formation of a national legal framework for the protection of their rights,” said Al Attiyah.
She added that expatriate workers, who belong to 195 different countries, share the rights and freedoms stipulated in Qatar’s constitution, as well as in international and regional human rights conventions based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
“Qatar belongs to a geographical area whose climate is characterized by high temperature and humidity during summer. There’s a large percentage of expatriate workers — in construction and delivery sectors — who’re exposed to direct or indirect sunlight in their workplaces.
The NHRC Chairperson said the campaign’s main aim was to raise awareness for both employers and workers about the importance of enforcing ministerial decree No. 17 of 2021 regarding the necessary precautions to protect workers from the dangers of heat stress during the summer period.
The decree stipulates a ban on working outdoors during peak heat times, to prevent heat stress that results in causes that may lead to gross violations of human rights, foremost of which is the right to life and the right to physical and mental health.
This awareness campaign results in the effective application of relevant laws and prevents the excuse of ignorance.
Regarding the campaign’s sub-goals, Al Attiyah said the most prominent was securing the enforcement of legal provisions related to working conditions and protecting workers from heat stress.
The campaign seeks to enhance employers’ and workers’ compliance with legal standards stipulated in national legislation on heat stress prevention, and provide information to stakeholders — including workers and employers — regarding the most effective means to comply with legal provisions related to heat stress prevention.
It also aims to learn about deficiencies and abuse that are not covered by legal provisions in force, establish respect for workers’ rights that are recognized nationally and internationally in Qatar, improve working conditions and the provision of a safe, healthy and sustainable environment that guarantees workers’ rights.
The awareness campaign will underline the fact that a safe, healthy, and sustainable work environment will enhance productivity and development.
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