DOHA: Qatar’s human rights watchdog reiterated yesterday that the sponsorship and exit permit system was being studied by the government for a possible review.
The idea is to look for a better alternative to the system and have an environment where workers’ rights are more effectively protected, said a rights body official.
Jameea Al Sulaiti, from the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), said the organisation was actively following up on workers’ rights issue.
“We are working to help create an environment that would prevent human rights violations and protect workers’ rights in a more effective way,” said Al Sulaiti.
In this regard, she said that the existing sponsorship system (which includes exit permit rules) was being studied by the authorities concerned in order to look for suitable alternatives.
She was speaking here yesterday as a representative of the NHRC at an Arab-European Youth Symposium hosted by Qatar.
Taking part in a panel discussion on human rights in Arab and European countries, Al Sulaiti said the NHRC was trying to ratify as many international conventions on human rights as possible.
“We are actively monitoring the human rights situation in Qatar,” she said.
The NHRC is cooperating with other Arab countries to help make the Arab region free of human rights violations, she pointed out.
The Peninsula
