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Doha: Qatar's human rights watchdog called on the authorities on Sunday to extend the labour law to domestic workers to put an end to sponsors' abuses.
"Under the new Labour Law, no. 14, 2004, the Prime Minister has the authority to include domestic helpers under the labour legislation," Mohammad Fouad, legal consultant at the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), told Gulf News. "Such a step would help protect a category of workers constantly exposed to exploitation and abuse."
Domestic helpers, such as drivers, maids, cooks and those employed in households, form the only category that is not covered by the labour law.
Workers reporting cases of psychological and sexual violence, unpaid wages and overwork have flooded NHRC since its inception three years back.
The Asian diplomatic missions have repeatedly complained with the Labour Department about the ill-treatment of their citizens. Some embassies have also started blacklisting sponsors and discouraging employment of low-paid workers in the country.
The number of domestic workers in Qatar is unknown, but diplomatic sources estimate their number in several thousands.
"There are no official estimates about the number of houseworkers and this makes it difficult for us to perceive the magnitude of the problem," Fouad said.
An official at the Qatar National Office for Combating Trafficking in Humans had said that a plan was under way to include domestic helpers in the Labour Law.
The state-run Qatari House for Lodging and Human Care opened recently to provide shelter to domestic helpers referred by NHRC and the Family Counselling Centre.
Abused housemaids can also approach the centre.
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