130,000 benefited from Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund

Doha, Qatar: Executive Director of the Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund Kholoud Saif Abdullah Al Kubaisi confirmed that the Fund achieved a significant number of important goals since its establishment in 2018, contributing to improving the working conditions and environment for workers and providing them with a decent living, within the framework of comprehensive reforms undertaken by the state in this regard.

In an interview with QNA, the Executive Director pointed out that the Fund has been able to successfully achieve a balance between the rights of workers and employers based on its primarily humanitarian role and objectives, which are to enhance the economic and social stability of workers, and address the challenges they face as a result of delayed payment of wages and financial dues, or disputes with employers.

Through its objectives and achievements, the Fund is part of a series of reforms undertaken by Qatar within Qatar National Vision 2030 which seeks to improve working conditions and environment in line with its commitments towards relevant international organizations, such as the International Labor Organization, which has further enhanced the country’s reputation at the global level, in terms of respecting and ensuring workers rights, and commitment to international labor standards, sustainable development and social responsibility, Al Kubaisi said.

She revealed to QNA that 130,000 workers have benefited from the Fund's services since its establishment, including its significant contribution to protecting their rights and ensuring that they receive their financial dues, through a set of procedures and controls and enhancing transparency, with regard to the relationship between workers and employers.

Al Kubaisi pointed out that the Fund covers workers’ dues in cases decided by the Labor Disputes Settlement Committee, deducts these amounts later from the employer, settles financial disputes through the mechanisms associated with it, and provides immediate support to affected workers, which has led to ensuring their financial stability and not being exposed to economic pressures, and not stopping any state projects.

The labor reforms carried out by the state and the Ministry of Labour, including the establishment of the Fund, contributed significantly to reducing labor disputes and complaints, she underlined.

Al Kubaisi stressed that the Fund provides its services with complete transparency and fairness, without any advantage to any community over another, in accordance with its requirements and controls.

She also revealed that the workers who benefited the most from Fund are five communities, namely: Indian, Bangladeshi, Filipino, Pakistani and Nepalese, followed by other communities residing in the country.

Al Kubaisi reviewed the great services and facilities provided by the Fund to workers in the private sector, which are the categories that fall under its umbrella, especially the most vulnerable, considering that expatriate workers are part of the Qatari society and play a pivotal role in the renaissance and development of the state, discussing the existing cooperation between the Fund and the Labor Disputes Settlement Committee.