News
Reforming human and labor rights in the Gulf Region —the Qatar example
Qatar is one of the seven Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. Others include Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These nations are also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) countries, and a common thread runs through them all: the world’s largest oil and gas reserves are domiciled there.
But beyond their buoyant economy and huge oil and gas reserves, these predominantly Islamic states are seen by many as not been too proactive in terms of their human and labor rights records, most especially as they relate to migrant workers who are mostly of African descent.
Also, these Arab nations have been accused of violating women’s rights and those of the LGBTs that borders on extreme conservatism.
But most vehement, these Gulf States have come under intense global criticisms for operating the very oppressive, exploitative, and dehumanizing Kafala employment system.
The Kafala, or sponsorship system ‘’defines the relationship between foreign workers and their local sponsor or Kafeel, which is usually their employer. The system further ties the migrant workers to a sponsor who has the right to grant the employees exit permits. (right to leave the job or country for new employment or state)
And due to this widely criticized oppressive migrant labor system (Kafala), the Gulf States have been vilified by many bodies and organizations, calling on them to reform their human and labor laws in sync with best global practices.
For instance, International football teams recently protested human rights abuses in Qatar ahead of next year’s World Cup finals in that country, by wearing protest T-shirts ahead of qualifiers matches. However, the protest was criticized by many as hypocritical, given the fact that many of the protesting players and their employers were directly or indirectly linked with Qatar’s major companies, and that Qatar was ahead of other Gulf States in terms of human and labor rights reforms.
But a few others posit that despite Qatar’s leading role in human and migrant labor rights, the players’ protest was timely and welcome since it was aimed at drawing the attention of the world and the Gulf States that it is not yet Uhuru in terms of consolidating friendly- labor laws in the region. To draw home the imperativeness of the protest, David Harding in an article in Independent newspaper, titled: Accusing footballers of hypocrisy for protesting about human right abuses in Qatar rather misses the point’ said ‘’we should be applauding footballers –who have had little in the way of leadership from national politicians and Fifa- for taking a stand, as part of a new age of protest in sport, stretching from Colin Kaepernick through to Black Lives Matter.’’
It is, however, interesting to say here, that it is not all a gloomy picture or sorry tale in terms of human and labor rights abuses in the Gulf States, as Qatar has rolled out far-reaching laws aimed at ending labor-related discriminatory policies in the country.
Still, it is believed that Qatar’s novel reforms which began in 2017will ultimately open a fresh vista for more friendly, humane, and better migrant workers’ rights in the Gulf Region. Such Qatar’s landmark reforms include the abolition of exit permits for migrant workers; establishment of a new national minimum wage; setting up of minimum age commission, among others.
And major international bodies like the International Labour Organisation(ILO) European Union, (EU), the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC –Africa), among others have applauded Qatar’s reforms initiative.
For instance, in a commendation letter dated September 6, 2018, and signed by its General Secretary, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, the ITUC-Africa wrote, “We welcome the recent announcement by the Qatar government to abolish exit permits for migrant workers. We commend the Qatar government for the obvious show of genuine commitment towards meeting her pledge made to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to effectively reform her labor laws so as to bring them in conformity with ILO Conventions and other international statutes. Indeed, since August 2017, Qatar has commenced a holistic review of her Labour Codes to rid them of vestiges that facilitate and promote human and labor rights abuses. This development is particularly welcome for Africa because many of her labor migrants to the GCC states have been subjected to all manner of exploitation, abuse, and slave practices on account of the exit permit, which is one of the elements of the kafala sponsorship system for labor recruitment in the GCC states.
The statement added: “We call on other GCC states and Gulf countries, notably Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman to undertake similar reforms to their labor codes with the view to protect and secure the rights of workers, especially migrant workers who constitute the majority of the workforce. In particular, ITUC-Africa is of the view that a genuine labor code review by Saudi Arabia, being the biggest GCC economy, will send a positive and inspirational signal to the other members of the GCC states to also commit to reform like Qatar is doing”
In the same vein, the ITUC-Africa last year commended Qatar for further reforms by removing restrictions to migrant workers’ ability to change employers at their choice and the establishment of a new minimum wage.
The ITUC-Africa on September 7, 2020, wrote, “ We welcome the news of the amendment of the labor laws in Qatar to remove restrictions to migrant workers’ ability to change employers at their choosing following a notice period. We understand that the removal of employers’ permission and consent for employees to change jobs and employers is with immediate effect. The removal of the employer permission regime will make employment relations more humane. It will also significantly eliminate the slavery-like relationship tied to the kafala sponsorship employment system.
It must be restated here that the Gulf State of Qatar also established a new national minimum wage, which is to be enjoyed by all categories of workers. This new minimum wage now stands at QAR 1800 (493USD) for workers who are not provided with food and accommodation by their employers. Those that enjoy employers’ provision of decent accommodation but no food will earn QAR 1500 (410 USD). Migrant workers whose employers provide food and accommodation will earn a minimum wage of 1000 QAR (274 USD). All workers without discrimination will enjoy the national minimum wage.
The ITUC-Africa further noted that the laws carry good application and enforcement timelines and compelling sanctions in the event of default by employers. Specifically, the government of Qatar has given employers up to six months to comply with the new regulations. Failure to comply with the implementation directives will attract sanctions, which include suspending the operations of the company and suspending individual operations for those employing domestic workers.
“We further welcome Qatar’s establishment of a Minimum Wage Commission that will periodically review the national minimum wage rate. Subsequent reviews are to be based on evidence of the cost of living and are to take into account the responsibilities of migrant workers to their families at home. ITUC-Africa commends these developments as an apparent commitment by the government of Qatar towards better protection of the human and labor rights of workers, the majority of whom are migrant workers. ITUC-Africa added”
Most commendable, at a recent workshop held to assess the level of success on Qatar’s ‘migrant reforms’, as contained in the West Minister Report, experts from international organizations and government officials lauded the progress made so far by the country, just as they opined that much needed to be done to achieve the desired goals.
The participants stressed the need for international collaboration among the EU, ILO, trade unions and employers, etc. to further sustain the gains of the reforms.
‘’This is a success model that we need to replicate across the GCC countries. In addition, it is obvious that we should not denigrate the importance of labor inspection and occupational safety and health. It has to be considered as a priority,’’ a participant advised.
At that all-important forum, the need to effectively engage the private sector was also emphasized. The participants further cautioned that without the private sector’s role in the migrant reforms, that not much progress will be achieved since the employers hold to key to better working conditions. They added that coordination and cooperation between the various organizations are central to sustainable labor reforms in the GCC countries.
For the Qatar Ambassador Representative at the parley, Hassan AL-Thawadi, he said ‘’Qatar’s commitment to improving labor-related matters and improving lives is constant. The commitment is intrinsic to our national values enshrined in our constitution and is the key tenet to our Islamic principles.’’
He added: ’’reforms combined with bolstered enforcement mechanisms including electronic-based age protection system demonstrates a commitment to sustainable long-term change. However, we acknowledge that there is a long journey ahead of us and more needs to be done as the case in every nation of the world. In some countries still, it is not possible to change employers without permission, but in Qatar, it is possible’’
On the issue of discriminatory migrant workers law in the GCC countries and Qatar’s leading role to change the sad narrative, a Research Fellow at Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Ilorin, Dr. Wale Ojo, commended Qatar’s initiative to bring an end to discriminatory migrant workers policies, adding that other GCC countries such take clue from Qatar in that direction. He added that much needed be done to ensure a better and humane work environment in GCC countries as obtainable in Europe and North America.
‘’This issue of oppressive migrant labor conditions in the Gulf Region has been there for ages. Maybe because of their Islamic nature, most of the GCC states are averse to far-reaching reforms and have in place unacceptable migrant labor policies. However, l must laud Qatar for spearheading the migrant labor reforms initiative, and believe the time has come to put necessary international pressure on other GCC states to toe Qatar’s line, and key into more humane and workers’ rights policies,’’ Ojo stressed.
From the foregoing, it is beyond contention that Qatar has taken the lead in ushering in more humane and realistic human and labor rights reforms in the Gulf Region, but the big question is: can Qatar sustain this laudable program and throw up the challenge to its sister GCC states to follow suit? – Our fears and expectations are buried in the womb of time!
♦ Kenneth Smith writes from Hamburg, Germany. To reach him directly, email >>>
Young Nigerians have shown a remarkable ability to create waves in the digital space. With a single click, they can expose a politician’s corruption, rally tens of thousands of supporters behind a single hashtag, and keep every political actor on edge from dawn until dusk. However, as the 2027 general elections draw closer, it is time to face an uncomfortable truth: loud online noise isn’t the same as real power in the political sphere. If Nigerian youth wish to get the best possible leadership from their nation’s leaders, they need to take their online activity offline (i.e., to places where actual democracy occurs) and start showing up to cast votes.
There is simply too much evidence to ignore that this needs to occur. Nigeria is a young country demographically. Together, Gen Z and Millennials comprise approximately half of the total population—50.1 percent—according to IntelPoint. Gen Z makes up 25.8 percent and Millennials account for 24.3 percent. When we consider Gen Alpha, the percentage rises to 85.7% of the population under 44. According to ActionAid Nigeria, more than 60% of Nigeria’s population is under 30. According to Afrobarometer, Nigeria has a median age of 18.1 years, and 58% of its population is aged 0-29. Therefore, Nigeria isn’t merely a young country; it is a country dominated by young people.
Based on this information, this dominant demographic should wield considerable political influence. Unfortunately, there often appears to be little correlation between these statistics and political influence. The contrast is striking. While a majority of Nigeria’s population is young, there remains a significant gap between how influential young people are politically and how influential they could be. This lack of influence is not due to a lack of ability among young people; rather, it stems from many young people stopping short of completing what is often called the “civic journey,” which involves moving from awareness to action. They consume politics, engage in political debate on social media, participate in meme politics, and express frustration with politics through social media rants; however, many young people still fail to register to vote (PVCs) or participate in elections in sufficient numbers to affect the outcome.
This disparity is important because youth dissatisfaction is far from abstract. More than 23% of Nigerian youth report being unemployed or seeking employment, according to Afrobarometer. Additionally, more than two-thirds of youth aged 18 to 35 report having some form of postsecondary or secondary-level education. Despite Nigeria ranking among the lowest in providing employment and opportunities for youth, and despite identifying high costs of living, unemployment, crime and security concerns, poverty, poor economic management practices, and insufficient access to electricity as the top five issues requiring immediate attention from government officials, youth dissatisfaction cannot be considered indifferent. Rather, youth dissatisfaction reflects citizens’ grievances and legitimate reasons to be deeply interested in who governs their country.
However, mere interest alone will not suffice. Democracy does not reward passion without participation. A young person can identify every weakness inherent in a political system; however, unless that person participates by casting a vote, they will remain a spectator to their own future. If you are mature enough to understand concepts such as inflation, insecurity, broken campaign promises, unemployment rates, and poorly managed governance systems, you are mature enough to accept responsibility for your role in creating solutions to those problems. That responsibility begins with voting.
In addition to continuing to use social media to raise awareness of voter registration, election knowledge, fact-checking mechanisms used during elections, and peaceful participation methods, social media can also serve as a vehicle for facilitating the transition from social media activism to actual civic engagement. Young Nigerians should leverage their social media presence to encourage voter registration, promote election literacy programs, provide fact-checking services to counter election misinformation, and advocate for nonviolent participation throughout the electoral cycle. They should convert their social media timelines into civic classrooms. Where can I find the information I need about voter registration processes? Where is my assigned polling station located? Where do I receive my Permanent Voter Card? How do I protect myself from spreading misinformation? How do I properly monitor election results? These are not dull topics; they represent essential tools required for surviving democracy.
Youth organizations, creators, and social media entities can also help facilitate offline civic engagement. Use your WhatsApp groups to alert others as registration deadlines approach. Use X Spaces and Instagram Live to focus on discussing relevant issues rather than hurling insults. Use TikTok to simplify the voting process. Use Facebook to motivate family members and first-time voters to participate in elections. Use whatever platforms are available to make civic obligation contagious. Nigeria’s youth have shown they can create viral content. Now they must begin to generate participation on a viral scale.
One of the most damaging myths in Nigerian politics is that “your vote doesn’t matter.” It is a self-fulfilling prophecy that only serves the interests of cynics, crooks, and machines whose success depends solely on low turnout. Yes, Nigeria’s electoral process has flaws. Yes, there have been numerous disappointments. However, the response to a flawed democracy is not abandonment; it is increased participation. By staying home on Election Day, youth essentially give their votes — and therefore control — directly to the very same groups they loathe.
Another mythological excuse for the youth’s failure to vote in Nigeria is the claim that “all politicians are alike.” No — they’re not all the same. While some politicians are inept, others are corrupt, and others exhibit both characteristics, democracy is not about seeking holy men or women; it is about making selections and enforcing accountability. An individual who refuses to make a selection for office because none of the options appear acceptable is ultimately selecting the candidate most likely to emerge victorious by default.
Nigeria’s youth already constitute the country’s largest demographic group. It is time for them to become its strongest democratic force as well. However, that will not be achieved by trending hashtags alone. Instead, it will be achieved when online energy is harnessed and directed toward political organization, civic education, voter registration, increasing voter turnout, and holding elected representatives accountable after elections.
The 2023 election saw remarkable youth participation but lacked follow-up. Therefore, the 2027 election should not produce another generation of disillusioned observers; instead, it should yield a new generation of participatory citizens. Let online flames ignite electoral power. Let debates become ballots. Let criticism evolve into participation. If Nigerian youth can dominate social media, they can also dominate democracy. The future will not be handed to them in a retweet. They must elect it into existence.
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♦ Chris Ulasi is on the Editorial Board of The West African Pilot News. He contributes stories about culture and tradition, elite politics, ethnicity and national integration, civil society, and social movement. He is a university professor, community builder, poet, film producer, recording the emergent Nollywood cultural history through film.
Education
TSU’s CommWeek Positions School of Communication at the Forefront of AI, Innovation, and Student Success
HOUSTON, TX — Texas Southern University’s School of Communication is set to host its 44th Annual Media and Communication Conference (CommWeek 2026) from April 6–10 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Building, bringing together a dynamic mix of scholars, students, industry professionals, and civic leaders to examine the future of media in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world.
Widely regarded as one of the School’s signature academic and professional events, CommWeek has evolved into a powerful platform for intellectual exchange, industry engagement, and student-centered learning. This year’s theme, “Beyond the Algorithm: Reimagining Media, Learning & Innovation with AI,” reflects the growing influence of artificial intelligence across journalism, entertainment, digital storytelling, and communication education.
Throughout the week, participants will engage in a series of panels, workshops, masterclasses, and networking sessions designed to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping media ecosystems. Discussions will address critical topics such as AI-driven content creation, ethical considerations in automated communication, evolving media business models, and the future of audience engagement.
According to Interim Dean Dr. Alan K. Caldwell, CommWeek represents a strategic opportunity to elevate the School’s academic and professional profile.
“Communication Week represents more than a conference; it is a powerful platform to strengthen the School of Communication’s brand, showcase the excellence of our students and faculty, and highlight the innovative work happening across our programs,” Caldwell said. “By bringing together industry leaders, scholars, and alumni, we create collaborative connections that position our school as a hub for forward-thinking communication education.”
Conference Chair Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo (left) and Interim Dean Dr. Alan K. Caldwell: CommWeek has evolved into a powerful platform for intellectual exchange, industry engagement, and student-centered learning.
In addition to its academic significance, CommWeek plays a vital role in advancing student success. A key highlight of the conference is the Dean’s Banquet and Scholarship Awards, which raises funds to support academically talented and financially underserved students. These scholarships help reduce financial barriers, cover tuition and educational resources, and improve student retention and graduation outcomes.
For Conference Chair Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo, CommWeek 2026 represents both a continuation of tradition and a bold step toward the future of communication education.
“CommWeek is where scholarship meets practice and where innovation becomes accessible,” Ogbo said. “This conference is not only about examining the future of media—it is about preparing our students to lead it. By integrating academic rigor with industry insight, we are building a platform that empowers our students, strengthens our institutional identity, and fosters meaningful collaborations that extend far beyond the classroom.”
The conference also emphasizes experiential learning, offering students direct access to industry professionals, hands-on workshops, and career development opportunities. These interactions provide invaluable exposure to real-world practices and help bridge the gap between academic training and professional application.
As a historically Black university with a long-standing commitment to cultural responsiveness and community impact, Texas Southern University continues to position its School of Communication as a leader in preparing students for both local and global media landscapes. CommWeek reinforces this mission by creating an inclusive space where diverse voices, perspectives, and ideas can thrive.
Open to students, alumni, and the broader community, CommWeek 2026 is free to attend and serves as a testament to TSU’s commitment to accessibility, innovation, and academic excellence.
For more information and the full conference schedule, visit www.soc-commweek.com.
As the US-Israel and Iran war enters its 6th week, the Iranian military has responded to Donald Trump‘s threats from the Sunday outburst. The president warned Iran that they would be “living in hell” if they didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz. Responding to Trump’s Sunday rant, Iran’s military responded that if he plans to harm the civilians, then their retaliation would be far stronger and larger in scale.
Following threats from Donald Trump, the Iranian military issued a statement warning that if civilian infrastructure is impacted, they will not remain silent, and their retaliation would be more severe. The statement read, “If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next stages of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and widespread.”
This statement comes amid Trump’s outburst on Truth Social, where he demanded that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz or face serious consequences. Naming potential targets, he said, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Threatening Iran further, he added, “Open the F*ckin’ Strait, you crazy b*st*rds, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” He concluded his post with, “Praise be to Allah.”
Additionally, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker from Iran’s Parliament, also responded to Trump’s public threats on X (formerly Twitter). He noted that his “reckless” moves are pushing the US into “living hell” for every person residing there. Condemning the president’s latest tweet, he added, “Our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu’s commands. Make no mistake: You won’t gain anything through war crimes.”
In a follow-up tweet, Qalibaf wrote that the only solution to this conflict is for the president to start respecting the Iranian people and to put a stop to this “dangerous game.”
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