Hala Al Ali, Qatar National Human Rights Committee

Hala Al Ali was just a young girl growing up in Syria when she decided her future would be in the law.

“My father is a lawyer and when I was younger he went to prison for five years for his political opinions,” she recalls.

“That’s why I have always been attracted to this field because, for me, it is about people, justice and equality. It matches my dreams for what I want to contribute and achieve.”

Turning her back on a possible career as an actor, Hala studied law at Damascus University before practicing across a wide range of cases, including civil, criminal, family and administrative matters.

This broad experience has equipped her well for her current position as Legal Expert with the Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC).

“I am a very lucky person because I love my work,” says Hala, who has been with the organisation for almost four years.

“When I first applied to work with the Qatar National Human Rights Committee, I thought that if they didn’t want to hire me then I would offer to act as a volunteer.”

Supporting workers

Much of Hala’s work with the NHRC has focused on providing advice and support to the vast migrant labour force in the oil- and gas-rich Gulf country.

“Qatar attracts migrant workers from every continent. It is a small country, but there are people from over 65 nationalities in Qatar and 85% of the population is made up of migrant workers,” she says.

However, the worker sponsorship system and a lack of respect for the labour law by some employers can leave migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation or abuse.

“We hear stories of employers forcing labourers to work during their holidays, paying salaries irregularly or not paying them at all. And some foreign workers can be victims of human trafficking,” says Hala.

To equip migrant workers with information about their rights and responsibilities, Hala developed a plain language guide on Qatari law for migrant workers. The NHRC also runs training sessions and seminars to answer their questions and provide advice about workplace protections.

“This information is so important because it can strengthen workers to go to their employer and confidently demand their rights under Qatari labour law,” says Hala.

“Of course, some workers fear conflict with their employer and some fear that it might jeopardise their employment. But we have seen some positive results,” she adds.

“Employers can benefit from the ignorance of their workers but when these rights are demanded, and the worker breaks the silence, this can make a difference for employers because they don’t want to be seen to be breaking the law.”

New challenges

Hala believes that establishing unions would be a major step forward for Qatari workplaces. She says that the current law allows unions to be formed and to operate but, to date, this has not occurred.

“I think work in the future should be about activating those articles of the law,” Hala says. “Because today the courts are crowded with labour disputes and if you can resolve these issues within the company by negotiating with a union, then it’s better for the employer and it’s better for the workers.”

In the year ahead, Hala also intends to focus on developing resources and activities to promote the rights of women in Qatar, as part of the NHRC’s broader community education efforts.

“The best way to introduce and explain human rights is by using the positive elements and values of Qatari culture and Islamic culture. All religions have common principles about equality, about justice and about how to treat those who are different to you,” she says.

“The important point is to show how and why human rights fit within our culture. You would be surprised at how well our education programs are received by the community, even those people who could be considered to be quite strict.”

Motivated by the prospect of contributing to broad and lasting change, Hala is also mindful of the need to set clear and achievable goals in her work.

“National human rights institutions are not big organisations so I believe it is very important that we stay focused in what we do and what we seek to achieve,” she says.

“It is long-term work and it can take time for some changes to occur. I always keep this in my mind and I know that even if I don’t see differences happening now, then maybe my daughter or granddaughter will be the one to enjoy the changes that we help to bring about.”