Qatar praised for World Cup labour reforms at UN rights council

The United Nations' top rights body praised Qatar on Tuesday for improving its labour laws ahead of its hosting of the 2022 World Cup.

The Gulf state had its five-yearly review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva for the first time since the tournament, which came under close international scrutiny over the involvement of thousands of foreign workers to build stadiums and other key infrastructure.

Qatar's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Hend Abdulrahman Al Muftah, said better labour protections had been enacted, including a minimum wage, freedom to change employers and combatting trafficking.

Al Muftah described the migrant workers as Qatar's "true partners" whose contribution is "highly appreciated".

Qatar was urged — or "recommended", in the formal diplomatic language of the UN rights body — by French delegate Claire Thuaudet to "pursue the implementation of the labour laws" linked to the 2022 World Cup.

Sierra Leone said Qatar should "consider abolishing all vestiges" of the labour law system known as kafala.

"We commend Qatar for its notable reforms in labour migrant legislation," the Netherlands delegation said. "These are significant but more effective enforcement and implementations are needed."

Elsewhere, the captain of Germany's national football team said he regrets taking a political stance at the Qatar World Cup, after joining several of his teammates in a protest against the country's laws on homosexual relationships.

"In general, us players should stand for specific values, especially as the captain of the national team. But it is not our job to express ourselves politically all the time,” Kimmich said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"Look at the issue of Qatar. We did not present an overall good picture as a team and country. We expressed political opinions and it took a bit away from the joy of the tournament. It was an outstanding World Cup in terms of organisation."