Ireland, England among countries pressurizing Qatar to reform labour laws ahead of 2022 WC

A number of countries have reportedly piled pressure on Qatar to reform its labour laws in order to prevent exploitation of migrant workers, whose harsh treatment at the hands of their employers, as the nation prepares for the 2022 World Cup, have come under much criticism from international bodies.

The International Trade Union Confederation has reportedly warned that 4,000 of the workers helping the country prepare for the tournament could die if nothing is done.

Most of the 84 countries that spoke at the UN Human Rights Council panel reviewing Qatar's human rights record have called on the Gulf state to scrap its 'kafala sponsorship' system, which restricts each of its 1.4 million migrant workers to a single employer, the Guardian reported.

Meanwhile, several countries have reportedly linked Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup directly with the need for labour reform.

The Ireland delegation told the panel that there have been widespread reports of violations of the rights of migrant workers, especially in the context of preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The UK delegation has reportedly called for a clear timetable on scrapping the sponsorship system and for the introduction of new rules to protect domestic workers, who are not covered by existing labour law.

However, Indonesia, one of the main providers of domestic workers to Qatar, called for laws to protect the labour as the main countries supplying migrant workers to the nation are dependent on the jobs provided by the construction boom in the country had been less critical, the report added.