covid Archives

covid

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

By reed | November 26, 2021

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. The migration systems and practices in the region not only render workers more vulnerable to negative health outcomes but place them in financial jeopardy. The following chapter provides context to key COVID-19-related issues and examples of good coverage, alongside tips for reporting on the crisis as well as an analysis of Gulf nations’ vaccination rollout policies. Migrant workers account for the majority of the labor force in the Gulf states, and workers of all income classes have been most affected by the pandemic’s economic crisis.

covid

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

By reed | November 26, 2021

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. When COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill in 2020, the pandemic was portrayed as a global equalizer by many, including by the media. But within a few weeks, it became clear that the pandemic was not equalizing. On the contrary, it threw into sharp relief the existing fault lines of discriminatory policies.

covid

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

By reed | November 26, 2021

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. Media outlets, both local and international, have generally struggled to closely cover human trafficking and forced labor in the region, however, because of the restrictions on press freedom, security concerns, and threats of detention or deportation. For these reasons, GIJN, in collaboration with Migrant-Rights.org, has updated and expanded this multilingual guide to educate journalists on best practices, tools, and country-specific resources, all against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Illustrations are by Marcelle Louw.