By Debra Rosen, From Walk Free

At the end of last year, our community was celebrating. 172,407 of us sent messages to FIFA calling on the body to tackle the modern slavery fuelling the 2022 World Cup construction projects in Qatar – and FIFA listened. Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter pledged that FIFA would work with the International Trade Union Confederation to improve the unacceptable situation for workers there and we welcomed his declaration that “fair working conditions with a lasting effect must be introduced quickly in Qatar”

Unfortunately these words have not yet been followed by action.

Latest reports show that migrant workers from Nepal and India continue to die in record numbers on Qatari construction sites since the country won its World Cup bid. A new “Worker’s Charter” released by Qatar 2022 organising authorities last month has been acknowledged as a starting point, but falls short of the significant reforms needed to tackle the shocking conditions for migrant workers. And at a recent hearing at the European Parliament FIFA was far from reassuring, asking: “What do you expect of a football organisation? FIFA is not the lawmaker in Qatar.”

We expect FIFA to take responsibility for its decision to award the 2022 World Cup to a country with historic issues of worker exploitation and forced labour. In just three days, top FIFA officials meet at their headquarters in Switzerland to discuss World Cup preparations: will you join us in demanding that ending modern slavery in Qatar be top of the agenda?

Call on FIFA President Sepp Blatter to take meaningful action against the modern slavery that is fuelling the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The Walk Free community helped push FIFA to commit to end worker exploitation; now we have the chance to put that commitment into action. FIFA’s Executive Committee is meeting on Thursday and Friday – top representatives from national football associations around the world will be there and the press will be reporting developments closely, with all eyes on FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter. This is a significant opportunity to get our message heard.

The time has come for FIFA to act – Sepp Blatter must use his influence over World Cup organisers to ensure all future FIFA World Cups are slavery free and that includes Qatar as a top priority.

FIFA should:

Call for an end to the exploitative kafala system in its current form in Qatar, specifically by allowing workers to freely change jobs and leave the country without their employer’s permission.

Demand that fundamental labour rights are protected as a requirement for countries to be selected to host World Cups.

Call on the Qatar 2022 organising authorities to establish a complaints mechanism that allows migrant workers to report abuses and secure justice.

It’s time for FIFA to play ball and help end modern slavery in Qatar – add your voice now.

If you agree that no one should die or be enslaved to bring us “the beautiful game”, please take action and help spread the word by asking three of your friends to do the same.

Thank you in advance for your support,

Debra, Jayde, Mika, Joanna, Amy & the Walk Free team

P.S. Right now, workers in Qatar are living, working and dying in modern slavery to bring us the 2022 World Cup. Please take action to help stop this.

Refs. www.fifa.com/worldcup/qatar2022/media/newsid=2227055

www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/18/qatar-world-cup-india-migrant-worker-deaths

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/11/sport/football/qatar-2022-workers-charter-football

www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/fifa-labour-conditions-qatar-world-cup