Introduction
In 2022, the world will hold its annual World Cup. This international event will bring together teams from all over the world in a competition to determine who is the best at sport. It’s not surprising that many people are excited about this event, including sports fans and human rights advocates. However, there are a few issues to watch out for when it comes to sport and human rights in 2022.
Wage discrimination
In December 2017, the World Economic Forum released a report that stated that women will not achieve economic parity with men until 2186. This shocking statistic is just one example of the many ways in which women are discriminated against in the workplace. One area in which this discrimination is particularly apparent is in the realm of wages. Women earn on average 79 cents for every dollar earned by men, a disparity that becomes even more pronounced when race is taken into account. This gender wage gap has persisted for decades, despite numerous efforts to close it.
There are many factors that contribute to the wage gap between men and women.
LGBT+ rights
The 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo will be a chance for Japan to show how LGBT rights have progressed in the country. In 2002, Japan became the first country in Asia to pass a law outlawing discrimination against LGBT people. In 2022, when Qatar hosts the World Cup, the issue of LGBT rights is likely to come up again. Qatar is a conservative country where homosexuality is illegal. In 2017, FIFA issued a human rights report which called on Qatar to protect the rights of LGBT people. However, it is unclear whether Qatar will take any action to improve the situation for LGBT people in the country.
LGBT rights are also an issue in other countries that will host major sporting events in 2022.
Racism
When the international community gathers in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, they will be looking at a country that has been marred by allegations of racism. The issue of racism in Qatar first made headlines in 2014 when BBC presenter Jeremy Clarkson alleged that there is a “race issue” in Qatar due to the high number of imported workers from South Asia.
Since then, there have been numerous reports of racism against migrant workers in Qatar.
Disability rights
In 2022, the world will come together in Qatar to watch the biggest international sporting event: the FIFA World Cup. This event is an opportunity for people from all corners of the globe to celebrate their love of sport and come together in a spirit of friendly competition. However, as we prepare for this global celebration, we must also take into account how the tournament will impact people with disabilities.
The rights of people with disabilities are enshrined in several human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This treaty requires countries to ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others.
Human trafficking
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is fast approaching, and with it come concerns about how the event will impact human rights.
Qatar has a poor record on human trafficking, and has failed to take significant steps to address the issue. In addition, many migrant workers in Qatar are subjected to abuse and exploitation, including forced labor and debt bondage. This makes them particularly vulnerable to trafficking.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) has already warned that there is a “high risk” of trafficking during the World Cup, and urged Qatar to take action to prevent it. Unfortunately, it appears that Qatar has not heeded this warning.
