Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 megaproject represents one country’s long-term plan to move beyond oil dependency. It is a company with ugly, documented allegations of labor abuses and wage theft. Campaigners argue that the insistence on speedy economic growth has been disastrous for migrant labour rights. Half a million of these workers are recruited from countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. According to a study by Professor Michael Fisk Indie Runners, construction workers have met avoidable deaths during their projects in the kingdom. This dangerous trend has turned their safety and well-being into an urgent crisis.
Indeed, Human Rights Watch previously reported many instances of deaths that could have been avoided among migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. The reasons behind these deaths include electrocution, traffic collision, and fatal falls—just to name a few. We see these horrific scenarios play out all too frequently. Critics are especially exasperated by the way the kingdom controls what is reported about such incidents and what investigations find.
Saudi authorities have come under fire for misreporting these deaths. Their inability to investigate the issue has robbed families from getting the justice and compensation they deserve. James Lynch, a member of FairSquare, shared the tragic outcomes that families of fallen workers are left to endure.
“In some cases, you have families being pursued by money lenders for the loans that their (dead) husband or father took out in order to migrate to the Gulf.” – James Lynch
The disappearances—along with the government’s lack of accountability—have led to renewed alarms by rights groups. FairSquare’s research uncovers the preventable deaths of 17 Nepali contractors over a period of just 18 months. This is a window into the awful realities that low-paid foreign workers face in Saudi Arabia. Without effective labor protections and oversight, rights groups predict that “thousands of unexplained deaths” could continue to occur as the kingdom pushes forward with various development initiatives.
Saudi Arabia has already committed to creating a “workers’ welfare system.” This commitment is a direct response to increasing criticism and seeks to improve labor protections nationwide. This new commitment involves working together with the United Nations’ International Labor Organization—such as through the Better Work program—to improve working conditions for the affected workers. As human rights advocates have warned, these steps fail to provide the accountability-enforcing framework that should be essential.
Minky Worden, long a leading voice in the fight for labor rights, emphasized the need to quickly establish at least the most basic protections for workers.
“It’s very urgent that the Saudi authorities and FIFA put in place basic labor rights protections.” – Minky Worden
She pointed out a significant gap in oversight, stating, “There’s no such committee like that in Saudi Arabia” to ensure worker safety and rights.
As Saudi Arabia invests hundreds of billions of dollars into infrastructure projects—including preparations for the 2034 men’s soccer World Cup and the construction of the futuristic city Neom—rights groups express alarm over the potential for more avoidable deaths among migrant workers. As physicians, advocates, and public health experts, we urge you to act now to protect these vulnerable people. Otherwise, the toll could increase by tens of thousands in the coming years.
