Gulf States are Failing Millions of Migrant Workers as Deadly Summer Temperatures Rise

Author: Sheetal Frank

June 29, 2026

HRRC calls on the Gulf states to implement occupational health measures for migrant workers, prioritising their needs and safety by providing necessities such as cool water, rest areas, and medical assistance. We also call on governments to adopt up-to-date heat protection measures so that temperatures can be monitored accurately and assessed accordingly to determine when to stop midday work based on humidity and heat rather than on scheduled times.

Migrant workers labor in extreme heat in the Gulf [Image credit: Mohammed Mahjoub, AFP/ France 24]

A new report published by Human Rights Watch has found that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are exposing migrant workers to extreme heat as temperatures soar to “dangerous levels”, leaving many workers without sufficient aid, such as occupational health and safety measures.

Workers, particularly those in construction, are left to endure the extreme heat alone, while already working strenuous jobs and dealing with demanding employers. One worker said that the “heat is so intense that it is beyond the endurance of an ordinary person”.

Between February and May 2026, Human Rights Watch spoke to 20 migrant workers from Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, working in app-based bike delivery services or construction in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Many workers described inadequate facilities, limited rest areas, a lack of cool water and insufficient medical supervision. These conditions can lead to dehydration, heat-related illnesses, heat stroke, worsening pre-existing conditions and in severe cases, premature death.

Several Gulf states have introduced midday bans during the summer months to prevent outdoor work during the hottest parts of the day, which begin from June to August and September. Workers are prohibited from working between late morning and mid-afternoon. 

Despite scientific evidence and testimonies from migrant workers, Gulf states have continued to rely on outdated calendar-based midday work bans that do not address the concerns of workers or provide protection from the mounting temperatures, as the Gulf’s heat season is beginning earlier, with dangerous levels rising from May, which is ahead of the date that midday bans are scheduled to begin. 

Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at the Human Rights Watch, said, “Gulf states have the means and capacity to adopt these protections, including restricting working hours based on actual temperature and thresholds rather than fixed schedules”.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted a treaty on June 12 2026, which sets labour standards for gig workers and addresses gaps in protection for workers whose jobs are managed through digital platforms. A section of this treaty will focus on occupational safety and health and will call on governments to take adequate preventive measures to reduce occupational accidents and health risks for gig workers.

Human Rights Watch has urged Gulf governments to ratify the ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention, which requires employers to assess workplace risks and implement measures to protect workers from rising heat levels. They have also called on the government to adopt evidence-based occupational heat protection measures, such as the widely used Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, to better evaluate temperature and humidity, as well as provide cool water and shaded rest areas to prevent heat-related illness and death.

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Glossary

• Construction workers - These are professionals employed for the maintenance and repair of buildings, infrastructure and roads.

• Convention - A formal international agreement that contains principles and rules.

• Dehydration - This is when the body loses more fluid than it absorbs and lacks enough water to function properly.

• Evidence-based occupational heat protection - These are safety measures put in place by employers and governments to protect workers from extreme heat, based on scientific research and data rather than fixed schedules or assumptions.

• Gig workers - Workers who are hired on a short-term or freelance basis to complete short-term tasks or task-based projects rather than a permanent contract.

• Gulf states - This refers to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• Heat stroke - This is the most severe form of heat -related illness and occurs when the body’s internal temperature rises rapidly and is a medical emergency requiring medical intervention.

• Human Rights Watch - This is a prominent international non-governmental organisation dedicated to investigating and documenting human rights abuses globally.

• Humidity - A measure of the amount of moisture in the air.

• Inadequate - It is lacking quality or capacity to fulfill a need.

• Midday ban - This prohibits any outdoor labour under direct sunlight nationally from the afternoon, starting from June to September.

• Migrant workers - Individuals who travel to another country to work and seek employment.

• Monitored - This is to watch, observe or check something very closely and to track its progress.

• Occupational health - This is a medical speciality which aims to support employees with their mental well-being and physical health in the workplace.

• Premature death - A death that occurs before the average age of death in a given population.

• Pre-existing condition - It is a health condition that someone already has, such as heart conditions, diabetes or asthma, that can get worse. 

• Ratify - To give official approval or consent to a document, agreement or treaty, making it legally valid.

• Strenuous - It is an activity or task which requires a lot of physical and mental energy, exertion or endurance.

• Testimony - This is a formal or written statement given under oath, or a series of events of an individual's experience.

• The International Labour Organisation (ILO) - This is a specialist agency in the United Nations which oversees work practices and aims to advance social justice and promote human and labour rights.

• Treaty - It is a formal, legally binding written agreement between countries or international organisations used to implement rules, resolve disputes or manage trade.

• Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) - It is the standard measure of environmental heat, stress, air temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation to evaluate heat stress risk and prevent heat-related illnesses.