To mark the start of the 23 March-2 April meeting of the 356th Session of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Governing Body, which will consider a formal complaint filed by African trade unions against the Saudi Arabian government concerning persistent and widespread violations and abuses of migrant workers’ rights contrary to its obligations under various ILO treaties, Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International, said:
“The Saudi Arabian government is actively seeking to have this ILO Complaint buried. However, despite some recent legal reforms, Saudi Arabia’s kafala sponsorship system has not been effectively dismantled and continues to expose millions of migrant workers to significant risk of abuse, including forced labour. The ILO should continue to scrutinize the case until there is clear evidence that the reforms are genuinely improving migrant workers’ lives.
Many workers are still burdened with illegal recruitment fees, deceived during recruitment and subjected to wage theft.
Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice, Amnesty International,
“Saudi Arabia’s attempt to hide behind recent reforms and procedural arguments, without producing a shred of credible data to show these reforms are actually being implemented, should fool no one. Members of the Governing Body must not be distracted by rhetoric when the evidence of ongoing abuse is overwhelming.
“Today, as our own research shows, many workers are still burdened with illegal recruitment fees, deceived during recruitment, and subjected to wage theft, excessively long hours, unsafe or degrading living and working conditions, and severe restrictions on movement. Domestic workers are especially at risk, with many facing confinement, extreme overwork, and physical or sexual abuse, all while remaining excluded from core labour protections.
“Amnesty International is calling for the ILO Governing Body members to heed the urgency and severity of the abuses presented in the complaint brought by African trade unions and reject claims from Saudi authorities that continued ILO scrutiny is unnecessary.”
Amnesty International is a signatory to a joint statement with partner human rights groups collectively calling on ILO Governing Body members to reject the Saudi Arabian government’s efforts to dismiss the Article 26 complaint brought by African trade unions.
Background
The complaint, lodged under Article 26 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization (ILO), calls for urgent international action and accountability.
The complaint documents widespread forced labour, wage theft, physical and sexual abuse and systemic racism, particularly – but not exclusively – targeting African migrant workers who experienced being locked in homes, forced to work 18 to 20 hours a day, denied wages, healthcare and rest, and subjected to beatings and harassment.
The abuses documented in the complaint are consistent with research and reporting of other organizations, including Amnesty International.
In January, the Government of Saudi Arabia responded to the complaint and asked for it to be dismissed.
Saudi Arabia has ratified a number of core ILO human rights conventions which require it to guarantee protection against against forced labour, discrimination, and other abuses, ensure fair and decent working conditions for all workers without distinction, and uphold workers’ fundamental rights to justice, remedy, and effective protection under the law.
