ID :
34131
Fri, 12/05/2008 - 19:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/34131
The shortlink copeid
UAE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING WORKERS` RIGHTS, SAYS MINISTER BY MUIN ABDUL MAJID
DUBAI, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has
expressed its full commitment to creating the necessary mechanisms and
safeguards to protect the rights of foreign workers in this Gulf state.
According to its minister of state for foreign affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed
Gargash, most labour issues concerned expatriate workers, especially the
unskilled segment.
More than 3.1 million foreign workers are contractually employed in the
UAE.
"As the country moves ahead on its development path, we're doing our best
to ensure that no person living, working and contributing to this society
undergoes any form of abuse or exploitation," he said in a statement delivered
at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva and made available to
the media here.
Dr Gargash said ensuring fair and on-time payment of salaries was a
particular priority of UAE's labour policy enforcement.
Improving working conditions was another area for action, he said, adding
that Labour Ministry personnel inspected 122,000 facilities in 2007, resulting
in penalties for 8,588 violations related to working conditions and workers'
rights.
The minister also said that the government was working on a new law to
protect domestic workers which would afford them far greater protection and
assurances.
"The new initiative will particularly benefit women who form a major
component of this segment of the workforce," he said.
Dr Gargash further said that in recent years, the UAE had improved dialogue
with individual labour-exporting countries and established consultations at the
multilateral level to encourage a spirit of partnership.
"This includes a pilot project aimed at studying the difficulties faced by
workers from the point of job recruitment in their countries until they return
home after employment in the UAE," he said.
He pointed out that the UAE was proud to have developed into an open,
modern Arab and Islamic model for the region with over 200 nationalities among
its workforce.
On the issue of religious freedom, the minister said the UAE government had
facilitated the establishment of places of worship for various religions and
sects, with the country currently hosting a total of 59 churches, two Hindu
temples and one Sikh temple.
"We are an Islamic country with traditional values and we fully respect the
rights and liberties of others to practice their faiths, as we hope our faith
and values are also respected by those who choose to reside in our country," he
said.
Dr Gargash also said that the UAE was now in the process of studying the
establishment of a national human rights commission and was looking forward to
enhancing cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council.
-- BERNAMA
expressed its full commitment to creating the necessary mechanisms and
safeguards to protect the rights of foreign workers in this Gulf state.
According to its minister of state for foreign affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed
Gargash, most labour issues concerned expatriate workers, especially the
unskilled segment.
More than 3.1 million foreign workers are contractually employed in the
UAE.
"As the country moves ahead on its development path, we're doing our best
to ensure that no person living, working and contributing to this society
undergoes any form of abuse or exploitation," he said in a statement delivered
at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva and made available to
the media here.
Dr Gargash said ensuring fair and on-time payment of salaries was a
particular priority of UAE's labour policy enforcement.
Improving working conditions was another area for action, he said, adding
that Labour Ministry personnel inspected 122,000 facilities in 2007, resulting
in penalties for 8,588 violations related to working conditions and workers'
rights.
The minister also said that the government was working on a new law to
protect domestic workers which would afford them far greater protection and
assurances.
"The new initiative will particularly benefit women who form a major
component of this segment of the workforce," he said.
Dr Gargash further said that in recent years, the UAE had improved dialogue
with individual labour-exporting countries and established consultations at the
multilateral level to encourage a spirit of partnership.
"This includes a pilot project aimed at studying the difficulties faced by
workers from the point of job recruitment in their countries until they return
home after employment in the UAE," he said.
He pointed out that the UAE was proud to have developed into an open,
modern Arab and Islamic model for the region with over 200 nationalities among
its workforce.
On the issue of religious freedom, the minister said the UAE government had
facilitated the establishment of places of worship for various religions and
sects, with the country currently hosting a total of 59 churches, two Hindu
temples and one Sikh temple.
"We are an Islamic country with traditional values and we fully respect the
rights and liberties of others to practice their faiths, as we hope our faith
and values are also respected by those who choose to reside in our country," he
said.
Dr Gargash also said that the UAE was now in the process of studying the
establishment of a national human rights commission and was looking forward to
enhancing cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council.
-- BERNAMA
