Smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment in the north of the Gaza Strip on October 30, 2023. (Photo by Yuri Cortez / AFP)
Doha, Qatar: Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri has called on the International Labour Organization (ILO) to take a strict stance against dangerous escalation in the Gaza Strip, which has destroyed infrastructure and displaced Palestinians in a way that violates all international standards.
He also called on international labour unions and international organisations to condemn what is happening to Palestinian workers in terms of serious violations that have caused them to lose their lives and jobs, in addition to the deliberate destruction of infrastructure.
The Minister of Labour, who is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Labour Organization, met ILO Director-General H E Gilbert Houngbo on the sidelines of ILO Board of Directors meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.
During the meeting, aspects of joint cooperation between Qatar and ILO were discussed, and ways to support and develop them during the coming period.
The Minister of Labour reviewed the latest developments in the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in the Gaza Strip, and what constituted a blatant violation that affected the labour sector and Palestinian workers who lost their jobs and lives due to these attacks that affected hospitals, schools, means of transportation, and companies.
He stressed that the escalation exceeded the limits of humanitarian logic in adopting brutal methods that brought the humanitarian situation to a deplorable state with attempts to cut off access to basic needs such as water, electricity, and health services, indicating that what is happening in Gaza necessitates the destruction of what remains of the humanity of the international community and international organisations in various fields.
He said Qatar maintains a steadfast stance, condemning all manifestations of targeting civilians and the unjust taking of innocent lives, particularly those of women and children. The practice of collective punishment is unequivocally inadmissible under any justification.
He underscored the critical need for sustained delivery of relief convoys and humanitarian assistance to the besieged Palestinian brethren enduring the horrors of bombardment.
Minister of Labour and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Labour Organization H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri (centre) with ILO Director-General H E Gilbert Houngbo (right) and Qatar's Permanent Representative to UN in Geneva H E Dr. Hend bint Abdalrahman Mohamed Al Muftah on the sidelines of the meetings of the Board of Directors of the ILO in Geneva, Switzerland.
In regards to Qatar’s Labour sector, Al Marri, in consultation with the ILO chief, examined the predominant advancements shaping the occupational landscape within Qatar.
The Minister stressed that Qatar is keen to continue joint cooperation with the ILO because of its positive impact on the work environment in Qatar over the past years, praising the efforts of the ILO office project in Doha for close cooperation with the Ministry of Labour.
During the meeting, he reviewed the efforts of the Ministry of Labour to maintain the work environment in Qatar and improve occupational safety and health requirements at work sites, noting that the efforts made by the Ministry of Labour contributed to a significant decrease in the total number of injuries at work sites during the last period.
The Minister noted the cooling jacket model used at work sites with the aim of reducing the effects of high temperatures during the summer, noting that wearing the cooling jacket contributes to reducing the worker’s body temperature by an average of 15 degrees Celsius.
He said studies conducted on the jacket in cooperation between the Ministry of Labour and the ILO confirmed its effectiveness in reducing the risks of heat stress and ensuring the protection of workers, hoping to maximise the benefits and protection provided by the cooling jacket technology at the level of the global labour sector.
The Minister also presented a model of the cooling jacket as a symbolic gift to the ILO Director-General.
