The Dubai dictator who is the Queen\u2019s close friend and...<\/h2><\/a>\n READ MORE <\/i><\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nYet Britain\u2019s foreign secretary Liz Truss doesn\u2019t seem to mind. One of her first trips abroad since taking office was to jet out to Qatar to \u201cboost economic and security ties.\u201d Such bonds are already very close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Royal Air Force recently formed two joint squadrons with Qatar. A merger like that hasn\u2019t been made since Polish pilots joined British ranks in World War Two. Qatar\u2019s defence minister was even taken for a ride<\/a> in one of the Typhoon\u2019s over Lincolnshire last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTaliban advisers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTruss praises Qatar for playing \u201ca critical role in supporting safe passage\u201d of Afghan refugees. Yet she isn\u2019t as vocal about Qatar\u2019s role in bringing the Taliban in from the cold. Doha opened a diplomatic HQ for the fundamentalist movement in 2013 and effectively welcomed its return to Kabul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen the Taliban took over more recently, Qatari authorities said they\u2019d been speaking to officials about why education for girls is important,\u201d Begum commented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve been using their own record to say that they are pushing for a pro-women’s rights agenda from the Taliban officials. The problem is of course that we have documented that the Qatari authorities are not as good on women\u2019s rights as they should be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are Qatari women for whom it’s upsetting to see their own government do this and yet actually deny women their rights at home. They\u2019re one of the most conservative countries in the region when it comes to women\u2019s rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saudi Arabia has lowered the age that unmarried women need a male relative\u2019s permission to leave the Kingdom to under 21. Qatar\u2019s remains at 25. Begum believes the country is now becoming an outlier, and Britain is turning a blind eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cQatari authorities allow men to have such power over women and the UK has not done anything about this for years,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have done very little knowing that there are British women stuck, who don\u2019t know what to do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Begum\u2019s research found that a British father residing in Qatar was able to use the power that \u201cthe Qatari authorities give to all men, to wield over his daughter and to deny her rights.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
\n RELATED<\/h3>\n \n \n \n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n UK military deepens ties with regime accused of funding terror...<\/h2><\/a>\n READ MORE <\/i><\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDying for football<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnother cause for concern in Qatar is the treatment of its migrant workers. Millions of expats from mostly poorer countries came to Doha to help build the World Cup stadiums. The figure for those estimated to have died is staggering – 6,500, which could be due to the sweltering heat they had to work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years they also faced severe restrictions on being able to change employers, which put them at risk of forced labour. It\u2019s known as the kafala<\/em> \u2013 or sponsorship \u2013 system. Qatari authorities now claim to have reformed it, although concerns persist. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBegum believes Britain, which once occupied Qatar and much of the Gulf, also has a case to answer here. \u201cThey have left behind a lot of problems,\u201d she commented. \u201cI would say the kafala<\/em> system exists in the Middle East the way it does today because of the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring the 1920s, when they started oil exploration, they were bringing in colonial workers, indentured servitude workers, into the Gulf to help. And when they were doing that, they wanted to have control over their workers. So they actually helped commercialise and build the sponsorship system as we know it today in the Gulf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKafala<\/em> is an older concept but the way in which that is an immigration law and an immigration system actually came out as a result of the UK\u2019s historical presence in the Gulf,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWith Britain still at Qatar\u2019s side a century later, it remains to be seen how much will change in the year left until the World Cup kicks off. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Qatar cannot wait to be an international sporting venue. This weekend the tiny Gulf monarchy hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix. And in twelve months time, football fans will fly in for the World Cup. But already some sports stars are speaking out about Qatar\u2019s human rights record. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[234,18],"tags":[103,311],"coauthors":[186],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
The World Cup\u2019s missing woman<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n
Taliban advisers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTruss praises Qatar for playing \u201ca critical role in supporting safe passage\u201d of Afghan refugees. Yet she isn\u2019t as vocal about Qatar\u2019s role in bringing the Taliban in from the cold. Doha opened a diplomatic HQ for the fundamentalist movement in 2013 and effectively welcomed its return to Kabul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen the Taliban took over more recently, Qatari authorities said they\u2019d been speaking to officials about why education for girls is important,\u201d Begum commented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve been using their own record to say that they are pushing for a pro-women’s rights agenda from the Taliban officials. The problem is of course that we have documented that the Qatari authorities are not as good on women\u2019s rights as they should be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are Qatari women for whom it’s upsetting to see their own government do this and yet actually deny women their rights at home. They\u2019re one of the most conservative countries in the region when it comes to women\u2019s rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saudi Arabia has lowered the age that unmarried women need a male relative\u2019s permission to leave the Kingdom to under 21. Qatar\u2019s remains at 25. Begum believes the country is now becoming an outlier, and Britain is turning a blind eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cQatari authorities allow men to have such power over women and the UK has not done anything about this for years,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have done very little knowing that there are British women stuck, who don\u2019t know what to do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Begum\u2019s research found that a British father residing in Qatar was able to use the power that \u201cthe Qatari authorities give to all men, to wield over his daughter and to deny her rights.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n
\n RELATED<\/h3>\n \n \n \n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n UK military deepens ties with regime accused of funding terror...<\/h2><\/a>\n READ MORE <\/i><\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDying for football<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnother cause for concern in Qatar is the treatment of its migrant workers. Millions of expats from mostly poorer countries came to Doha to help build the World Cup stadiums. The figure for those estimated to have died is staggering – 6,500, which could be due to the sweltering heat they had to work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years they also faced severe restrictions on being able to change employers, which put them at risk of forced labour. It\u2019s known as the kafala<\/em> \u2013 or sponsorship \u2013 system. Qatari authorities now claim to have reformed it, although concerns persist. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBegum believes Britain, which once occupied Qatar and much of the Gulf, also has a case to answer here. \u201cThey have left behind a lot of problems,\u201d she commented. \u201cI would say the kafala<\/em> system exists in the Middle East the way it does today because of the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring the 1920s, when they started oil exploration, they were bringing in colonial workers, indentured servitude workers, into the Gulf to help. And when they were doing that, they wanted to have control over their workers. So they actually helped commercialise and build the sponsorship system as we know it today in the Gulf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKafala<\/em> is an older concept but the way in which that is an immigration law and an immigration system actually came out as a result of the UK\u2019s historical presence in the Gulf,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWith Britain still at Qatar\u2019s side a century later, it remains to be seen how much will change in the year left until the World Cup kicks off. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Qatar cannot wait to be an international sporting venue. This weekend the tiny Gulf monarchy hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix. And in twelve months time, football fans will fly in for the World Cup. But already some sports stars are speaking out about Qatar\u2019s human rights record. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[234,18],"tags":[103,311],"coauthors":[186],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
The World Cup\u2019s missing woman<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n
RELATED<\/h3>\n \n \n \n \n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n UK military deepens ties with regime accused of funding terror...<\/h2><\/a>\n READ MORE <\/i><\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDying for football<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnother cause for concern in Qatar is the treatment of its migrant workers. Millions of expats from mostly poorer countries came to Doha to help build the World Cup stadiums. The figure for those estimated to have died is staggering – 6,500, which could be due to the sweltering heat they had to work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years they also faced severe restrictions on being able to change employers, which put them at risk of forced labour. It\u2019s known as the kafala<\/em> \u2013 or sponsorship \u2013 system. Qatari authorities now claim to have reformed it, although concerns persist. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBegum believes Britain, which once occupied Qatar and much of the Gulf, also has a case to answer here. \u201cThey have left behind a lot of problems,\u201d she commented. \u201cI would say the kafala<\/em> system exists in the Middle East the way it does today because of the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring the 1920s, when they started oil exploration, they were bringing in colonial workers, indentured servitude workers, into the Gulf to help. And when they were doing that, they wanted to have control over their workers. So they actually helped commercialise and build the sponsorship system as we know it today in the Gulf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKafala<\/em> is an older concept but the way in which that is an immigration law and an immigration system actually came out as a result of the UK\u2019s historical presence in the Gulf,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWith Britain still at Qatar\u2019s side a century later, it remains to be seen how much will change in the year left until the World Cup kicks off. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Qatar cannot wait to be an international sporting venue. This weekend the tiny Gulf monarchy hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix. And in twelve months time, football fans will fly in for the World Cup. But already some sports stars are speaking out about Qatar\u2019s human rights record. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[234,18],"tags":[103,311],"coauthors":[186],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
The World Cup\u2019s missing woman<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n
UK military deepens ties with regime accused of funding terror...<\/h2><\/a>\n READ MORE <\/i><\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDying for football<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnother cause for concern in Qatar is the treatment of its migrant workers. Millions of expats from mostly poorer countries came to Doha to help build the World Cup stadiums. The figure for those estimated to have died is staggering – 6,500, which could be due to the sweltering heat they had to work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years they also faced severe restrictions on being able to change employers, which put them at risk of forced labour. It\u2019s known as the kafala<\/em> \u2013 or sponsorship \u2013 system. Qatari authorities now claim to have reformed it, although concerns persist. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBegum believes Britain, which once occupied Qatar and much of the Gulf, also has a case to answer here. \u201cThey have left behind a lot of problems,\u201d she commented. \u201cI would say the kafala<\/em> system exists in the Middle East the way it does today because of the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring the 1920s, when they started oil exploration, they were bringing in colonial workers, indentured servitude workers, into the Gulf to help. And when they were doing that, they wanted to have control over their workers. So they actually helped commercialise and build the sponsorship system as we know it today in the Gulf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKafala<\/em> is an older concept but the way in which that is an immigration law and an immigration system actually came out as a result of the UK\u2019s historical presence in the Gulf,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWith Britain still at Qatar\u2019s side a century later, it remains to be seen how much will change in the year left until the World Cup kicks off. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Qatar cannot wait to be an international sporting venue. This weekend the tiny Gulf monarchy hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix. And in twelve months time, football fans will fly in for the World Cup. But already some sports stars are speaking out about Qatar\u2019s human rights record. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[234,18],"tags":[103,311],"coauthors":[186],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
The World Cup\u2019s missing woman<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n
Another cause for concern in Qatar is the treatment of its migrant workers. Millions of expats from mostly poorer countries came to Doha to help build the World Cup stadiums. The figure for those estimated to have died is staggering – 6,500, which could be due to the sweltering heat they had to work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years they also faced severe restrictions on being able to change employers, which put them at risk of forced labour. It\u2019s known as the kafala<\/em> \u2013 or sponsorship \u2013 system. Qatari authorities now claim to have reformed it, although concerns persist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Begum believes Britain, which once occupied Qatar and much of the Gulf, also has a case to answer here. \u201cThey have left behind a lot of problems,\u201d she commented. \u201cI would say the kafala<\/em> system exists in the Middle East the way it does today because of the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuring the 1920s, when they started oil exploration, they were bringing in colonial workers, indentured servitude workers, into the Gulf to help. And when they were doing that, they wanted to have control over their workers. So they actually helped commercialise and build the sponsorship system as we know it today in the Gulf.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKafala<\/em> is an older concept but the way in which that is an immigration law and an immigration system actually came out as a result of the UK\u2019s historical presence in the Gulf,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Britain still at Qatar\u2019s side a century later, it remains to be seen how much will change in the year left until the World Cup kicks off. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Qatar cannot wait to be an international sporting venue. This weekend the tiny Gulf monarchy hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix. And in twelve months time, football fans will fly in for the World Cup. But already some sports stars are speaking out about Qatar\u2019s human rights record. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[234,18],"tags":[103,311],"coauthors":[186],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n