The adoption of a human rights declaration by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that was designed to shield wealthy Gulf monarchies including 2022 World Cup host Qatar from criticism by human rights and trade union activists is likely to increase pressure on the sports-focused Gulf state to significantly alter its controversial migrant labour system.

The GCC states’ declaration was adopted earlier this month at a summit of Gulf leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha. The declaration signalled the GCC’s refusal to recognise its citizen’s political rights including the right to freedom of thought and expression.

It did however acknowledge that people are equal in dignity and humanity, in rights and freedoms, and equal before the law” with no distinction between them for reasons of origin, gender, religion, language, colour, or any other form of distinction”.

…James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute for Fan Culture, and the author ofThe Turbulent World of Middle East Soccerblog and a forthcoming book with the same title.