What is life like in Qatar?, you may ask. The answer largely depends on who you ask. Life in one of the richest countries on the planet varies depending on the person’s nationality, gender and income.
For the low-income migrants working in its industrial sector, it can be challenging. A daily rotation of camp, bus and building site – with the hope of a Friday off. They work long hours (8-10 hours), six days a week (sometimes more) in temperatures frequently passing 40+ degrees Celsius, whilst sharing their living spaces with four to eight others.
For taxi drivers, it’s intense traffic, unsociable hours and the constant threat of being put in your place – “top of the food chain are the tank-sized SUVs and Jeeps” (pg 48).
For domestic workers, it’s cooking, cleaning and raising children. With many (83%, according to Amnesty International’s 2020 report) experiencing exploitation, discrimination and limited means to leave due to employers confiscating their passports.
For Qataris life consists of family, falconry, football, dune bashing, prayer, consumption, debt, and, of course, no tax!
From the poor treatment of migrant works to government jobs, this book is written for outsiders, by an outsider and is worth a read if you want a unpolished perspective.
And if that’s not your cup of tea, Chapter 14, focuses on the potential threats of climate change, Qatar’s fossil fuel dependency and its lack of climate mitigation and greenwashing.
Mrs Geography 