The state of human rights in Qatar remains a concern for several non-governmental organizations, although there have been several noted improvements since Sheikh Hamad seized power in the mid-1990s. Under his leadership, the Gulf Emirate entered a period of rapid liberalization and modernization, while maintaining its Islamic identity. Among other things, the country is known for being the first country among Arab States of the Persian Gulf to allow women the right to vote.
According to Human Rights Watch in June 2012 hundreds of thousands of mostly South Asian migrant workers in construction in Qatar risk serious exploitation and abuse, sometimes amounting to forced labor.
Read more about Human Rights In Qatar: Women's Rights, Office of Human Rights in The MOFA of Qatar, Historical Situation, See Also
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