Bahrain

Muneer Sahib has spent more than half of his life in Bahrain. Now in his 70s, his story is that of thousands of other migrant workers who live in distress, denied their rights and wages.

Both company management and government officials encouraged migrants to continue working without pay on state projects but broke promises to settle their wages upon completion. 52 workers remain stuck in derelict camp while they fight to recoup between six and 18 months worths of wages, as well as their end-of-service benefits.

Nearly 30,000 migrant workers have signed up for a Flexi-Permit, but higher fees, unclear regulations, and growing opposition prevent the scheme from functioning as a viable alternative to the Kafala system.

A new initiative by the Bahraini government aims to streamline complaint procedures for migrant workers. But how far can it go to help workers overcome barriers to justice?

A recently proposed bill would require migrants to work for three years before being able to transfer jobs without their employer's permission.

In one-to-one interviews and focus groups, female migrant workers in Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain recounted their experiences with violence in the workplace and how they navigated formal and informal grievance mechanisms. Through their insights, we aim to provide a better understanding of the current status quo and offer recommendations to prevent and improve government response to gender-based violence. Using Feminist Participatory Action Research methods, the report’s findings and recommendations are predominantly those of the participants.

The economic downturn hit Bahrain’s construction sector hard and exacerbated the already rampant practice of delayed and unpaid wages. Costs and losses are passed on to the most vulnerable – the migrant workers at the end of the supply chain.