Domestic workers risk their lives by living in dilapidated homes in Bahrain

A report by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO), revealed that many Asian workers in Bahrain suffer from their poor housing conditions, as well as the lack of the safety standards in dilapidated buildings, in the capital and other provinces.

The report pointed out that despite the government statements on the settling of this problem for more than 12 years ago, the poor inspection mechanisms and the absence of a law to regulate the issue of housing led to the occurrence of fatal accidents every year.

The report includes the testimonies of dozens of workers, who could have died with the outbreak of fires, gas pipeline explosions, and falls in hundreds of homes and dilapidated residences, that do not respect the health and safety conditions.

They live in small, dilapidated rooms built of wood, with dangerous and overloaded old electrical wiring.

The report cited the head of the Occupational Safety Department in the Ministry of Labour, Mustafa Al-Sheikh, that the ministry bears responsibility for the safety conditions for about 150 thousand foreign workers, who live in 3147 houses registered with the ministry. Moreover, the total number of foreign workers in the private sector amounted to more than half a million workers, in addition to the 80 000 illegal workers, who are officially recognized by the authorities. In fact, the ministry monitors 23% of the workers’ homes to ensure their safety and rights, while 77% of them are left without supervision.

The report also revealed that the executive regulations of the Municipalities Law of 2006 contradicts the provisions of Ministerial Decree No. (40) of 2014 issued by the Ministry of Labour regarding the requirements of such housing. It pointed out that Article 14 of the Executive Regulations stipulates that the owner must notify the concerned municipality in case of the rent of his house, which should meet the health, security and safety requirements within thirty days from the date of the signing of the contract, while the executive decision stipulates doing so within 15 days.

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