{"id":1092649,"date":"2022-05-19T11:38:26","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T11:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/05\/19\/amnesty-calls-on-fifa-to-set-up-350m-fund-for-migrant-workers\/"},"modified":"2022-05-19T11:38:26","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T11:38:26","slug":"amnesty-calls-on-fifa-to-set-up-350m-fund-for-migrant-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/05\/19\/amnesty-calls-on-fifa-to-set-up-350m-fund-for-migrant-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"Amnesty calls on Fifa to set up \u00a3350m fund for migrant workers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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2022 World Cup chief Hassan Al Thawadi tells Dan Roan hosts ‘ready to welcome the world’
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Fifa has been urged to set up a compensation fund of at least $440m (\u00a3350m) for migrant workers who have suffered \u201chuman rights abuses\u201d during preparations for the Qatar World Cup.<\/p>\n

Amnesty International made the request in a letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino.<\/p>\n

The letter states: \u201cUntil all workers are compensated, the tournament cannot be truly celebrated.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sum suggested is equal to the 2022 World Cup prize money fund.<\/p>\n

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It is estimated\u00a0up to 30,000 migrant labourers\u00a0have been used on projects to build seven stadiums for the finals in Qatar, as well as a new airport, new metro and new roads.<\/p>\n

Amnesty, along with other human rights organisations and fans\u2019 groups, have called on Fifa not only to support workers who have died or been injured, but who have had pay withheld by employers or been forced to pay recruitment fees in order to secure work.<\/p>\n

Amnesty International\u2019s UK chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said there was a role to play for the England team, manager Gareth Southgate and the Football Association to put pressure on Fifa to act.<\/p>\n

\u201cThousands of migrant workers have been exploited and many have tragically died to make this World Cup possible, so we hope the FA and Gareth Southgate and the players will back this innovative scheme to secure much-needed compensation for long-suffering workers\u2019 families,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing can bring dead workers back to life or restore the dignity of those who were trapped in conditions amounting to modern-day slavery during Qatar\u2019s World Cup building boom, but a Fifa workers\u2019 fund would still be an important move.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fifa said it was assessing the programme proposed by Amnesty and was already looking at ways to compensate workers in association with the organising committee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the recruitment fee reimbursement scheme, for example, both Fifa World Cup and non-Fifa World Cup workers have received payments of a total $22.6m (\u00a318m) as of December 2021, with an additional $5.7m (\u00a34.5m) committed by contractors,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

Qatar\u2019s World Cup organisers added they had \u201cworked tirelessly\u201d with international groups for the rights of workers on stadiums and other tournament projects.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy said: \u201cSignificant improvements have been made across accommodation standards, health and safety regulations, grievance mechanisms, healthcare provision, and reimbursements of illegal recruitment fees to workers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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