Migrant Rights in the Middle East
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Expatriate workers often form the backbone of the private sector in many Middle Eastern countries, and in the Gulf region they make out most of the population. Blue-collar migrant workers are employed mainly in sectors that require hard labor such as construction and domestic work. Many of the migrant workers in the region are totally dependent on their local employers, and face human rights violations ranging from passport confiscation to physical and sexual abuse. They are rarely discussed in the media and receive little protection from the governments of host countries, many of whom have no clear policies for safeguarding their welfare.