watch their bid video for the World Cup . In it , Qatar appeals to the emotions of the viewer , and seems to say , ‘ if you allow us to show the world how modern we are , that we can successfully host a major international sporting event , it will do wonders for the future of the region and for the world .’ This twisted need for acceptance on an international level is being measured by a country ’ s ability to quickly construct some very futuristic looking stadiums . These projects are incredibly ambitious considering that Doha didn ’ t even have a skyline twenty years ago . Today , it ’ s all high-rise glass and “ space-age shapes .” 14 In time , these stadiums and skyscrapers will eclipse their human cost and will serve as evidence of Qatar ’ s modernity .
Human rights abuses are not limited to construction , migrants working in hospitality , customer service and sanitation are also affected . Living conditions for workers are inhumane , often cramped , infested with vermin , and lack adequate sanitation . As far as the work itself , long hours are common , as are long periods with little to no pay . The workers are unable to return home , either because of confiscated passports , or fear of losing their back pay . To get around this , labourers will frequently set up after-hour barber shops or outdoor food counters to generate enough income to survive . Most workers have families living in impoverished conditions abroad , and send as much income home as possible , leaving them little to live on while “ employed .”
Understanding the regional perspective on the rights of migrant workers working on grand futuristic constructions , and the process of kafala , which enables the residence of those migrant workers in the Gulf , is imperative to understanding the rise of slave-like labor conditions in the Middle East . The system of kafala allows employers to sponsor migrant workers and remain responsible for their legal status . Since workers ’ capacity to remain in the country is in the hands of their sponsors , employers are able to exploit workers with threats of deportation and replacement with little resistance from authorities . 16 , 17 Though the conditions faced by bonded workers is somewhat common knowledge , the absence of opposition against the mistreatment of migrant workers perpetuates it . It ’ s almost as if they are seen as being an unfortunate necessity of capitalism , and so there is no centralized effort to tackle the issue . The lack of organized action from the workers themselves is due to the virtual nonexistence of collective bargaining rights . Furthermore , according to Priyanka Motoparthy , a human rights researcher and former