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In a joint article John Ruggie, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business and Human Rights and Roel Nieuwenkamp Chair of the OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct responded to the ITUC findings that the death toll amongst workers on the Qatar World Cup would rise to over 4000 by 2022 at its current rate.

Ruggie and Nieuwenkamp called this prospect the possibility of “three Rana Plazas in slow motion.”

“This figure amounts to more than three times the reported death toll of last year’s Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, one of the worst industrial accidents of our time. Despite these serious impacts, and calls from human rights and labour organisations to cease construction of these stadiums and hold the 2022 games elsewhere, preparations in Qatar are continuing,” they said.

They urged the Qatar government, FIFA and the companies linked to the 2022 World Cup to abide by the UNGPs and the OECD Guidelines.

Read the full article on the Institute for Human Rights and Business website

UNI Global Union General Secretary, Philip Jennings spoke at the recent OECD Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct in Paris and raised the issue of Qatar at a session chaired by Nieuwenmap. Jennings drew attention to TUAC submission to the National Contact Points, calling for the OECD Guidelines to be applied to Qatar and urged action from all stakeholders.

Jennings also highlighted ITUC’s call for a re-vote on the 2022 World Cup following allegations of corruption as well as the 1000 deaths of workers building the stadiums. Jennings urged the Ministers gathered at the OECD meeting to take action.

Read the TUAC submission on Qatar to the OECD in attached documents

Watch the session with Philip Jennings and Roel Nieuwenkamp at the OECD here (starts at 30.00 minutes)