Challenges Faced By Indian Migrant Workers In Gulf Countries: The Kafala System, Bonded Labor, And The Need For Legal Reform
- IJLLR Journal
- Sep 20
- 1 min read
Anannay Singh Dhankhar, DR. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonepat
ABSTRACT
Indian migrant workers act as a very important pillar in the economies of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries by contributing significantly in construction, infrastructure, and service sectors. This contribution of labor has been a very important factor in the high development of the region, but the exploitation faced by these workers is often not recognised behind economic progress. While these workers are very important in the growth of GCC economies, they are treated by a lot of systemic challenges, particularly the Kafala sponsorship system which violates human rights and limits their personal freedoms.
The Kafala system, which bounds migrant workers' legal status to their employer, highly restricts their ability to change jobs or leave the country without the employer's permission. In practical world, this has created an environment where workers are frequently subject to forced labor, unsafe working conditions and racial discrimination which results in a continuous cycle of exploitation. Though reforms have been attempted but the presence of the Kafala system hinders the adequacy of such efforts.
This article tries to dive into how the Kafala system promotes bonded labor especially among Indian migrant workers and suggests legal reforms necessary to address these issues. It examines challenges, reviews recent reforms and highlights instances such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to see the practical results of current labor laws.
