Shattered Dreams, Hidden Trauma

The Systemic Abuse of East African Care Workers in the Gulf This briefing paper documents first-hand accounts of East African care workers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE,) exposing the systemic cycles of abuse they endure. It also sets out clear recommendations for governments, businesses, and investors to ensure these essential workers…

Rush to renewables: Toward migrant worker rights and a just energy transition in the Gulf

No region is immune to the reality of the climate crisis: extreme weather events, mass climate-induced migration, and direct consequences for the cultures, livelihoods, and lives of workers and communities In response, even the world’s most notorious petrostates have rightly joined the global effort to avert climate catastrophe Between 2013 and 2022, the Gulf Cooperation…

Climate Change In The World Of Work: Violence at The Systemic Edge

A systemic edge is a site where general conditions take extreme forms. Climate-impacted workers are at a systemic edge: they are pushed out of their livelihoods and their homes and enter employment far below decent work standards. This research brief compiles the experiences of 700 climate impacted workers from Asia and Africa who find employment…

“If We Complain, We Are Fired” Discrimination and Exploitation of Migrant Construction Workers on FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Stadium Sites

In this report, migrant workers from Africa and Asia employed as construction workers and security guards at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums describe – in their own words, efforts made by their employers to cover up or evade investigations into worker deaths, nationality-based discrimination, wage theft, illegal recruitment, forced labour, overwork, workplace violence, health…

Latest News & Blogs

Betrayed Abroad: The Harsh Reality of Kenyan Nurses Trapped in Saudi Arabia

Betrayed Abroad: The Harsh Reality of Kenyan Nurses Trapped in Saudi Arabia

Certified Kenyan nurses who traveled to Saudi Arabia for hospital jobs found themselves in a nightmare of forced domestic labor, isolation, and abuse. Instead of working in hospitals in Riyadh, the capital, as promised, they were sent to private homes in remote areas and even taken to Yemen against their will. Now back in Kenya,…

Joint Statement: Award of 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia risks lives and exposes FIFA’s empty human rights commitments

Joint Statement: Award of 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia risks lives and exposes FIFA’s empty human rights commitments

Joint Statement: Award of 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia risks lives and exposes FIFA’s empty human rights commitments. Today’s confirmation of Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 FIFA men’s World Cup, despite the well-known and severe risks to residents, migrant workers and visiting fans alike, marks a moment of great danger. It…

Report Launch with Business & Human Rights Resource Centre – “Rush to renewables: Toward migrant worker rights and a just energy transition in the Gulf”

Report Launch with Business & Human Rights Resource Centre – “Rush to renewables: Toward migrant worker rights and a just energy transition in the Gulf”

Equidem and Business & Human Rights Resource Centre are pleased to release new research into the renewable energy landscape in the GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE – through our report, “Rush to Renewables: Toward Migrant Worker Rights and a Just Energy Transition in the Gulf.“ The research builds on…

Climate Change In The World Of Work: Violence at The Systemic Edge

Explore Equidem’s groundbreaking report on the intersection of climate change and labor rights. This brief sheds light on how climate-driven disruptions are reshaping working conditions globally, revealing new forms of gendered violence, economic injustice, and health risks for vulnerable workers. Discover actionable insights into building resilience, adapting workplaces, and ensuring just transitions for all.

Support Us

Your donations help us to track down migrant workers and their families to ensure they receive the compensation they deserve.

Our work

Equidem is a human rights and labour rights organisation. We work globally and locally to expose injustice and hidden human rights abuses; to provide practical solutions to the most intractable human rights challenges; and to build powerful community-led coalitions that empower the individual and the community.

Featured reports

Shattered Dreams, Hidden Trauma

The Systemic Abuse of East African Care Workers in the Gulf This briefing paper documents first-hand accounts of East African care workers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates…