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Briefing

29 Sep 2021

Dubai Expo 2020: As the UAE prepares for the Expo, how are workers in the UAE impacted by labour abuse?

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On 1 October the Dubai EXPO, a six-month international fair which expects to welcome 25 million visitors, will open in the United Arab Emirates.

Our data shows migrant workers across the country continue to suffer severe and frequent labour abuse. The almost 8 million workers in the UAE remain at risk of suffering severe abuse facilitated by employment via the exploitative Kafala system, with poor enforcement of regulation and workers’ freedom to change employer curtailed.

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Our breakdown of the types of labour abuse reported in the UAE over the past five years

Further reading

Allegations of labour abuse against Gulf migrant workers

Our allegations Tracker records publicly reported cases of human and labour rights abuse committed by businesses against migrant workers in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Migrant workers in Qatar and the UAE

How are construction companies and hotel brands impacting the rights of migrant workers in Qatar and the UAE? We track company operations, survey their human rights performance, and empower advocates in civil society and business to address labour exploitation.

Gulf business and human rights

Explore latest news, resources and information on business and human rights in the region