Kathmandu: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised serious concerns over the growing threat of extreme heat to migrant workers in Gulf countries, urging governments and businesses to adopt stronger protections amid rising temperatures caused by climate change.

In a statement released Sunday, HRW’s Deputy Middle East Director Michael Page said that millions of workers are exposed to life-threatening heat each summer, particularly in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait — some of the hottest regions on Earth, where temperatures often soar beyond 50°C (122°F).

“Gulf countries are backing away from evidence-based protections, and migrant workers are losing their lives needlessly,” Page said.

Most affected are migrant laborers in construction and outdoor sectors, largely from Nepal, India, and Pakistan. Many suffer from kidney failure and chronic illnesses due to prolonged exposure to intense heat without proper safety measures.

Though Gulf states have enforced “midday break” policies banning outdoor work from mid-June to mid-September, HRW argues that extreme heat now begins earlier in the year, exposing workers in May to hazardous conditions without legal safeguards.

The warning comes after the UAE recorded 51.6°C on two consecutive days in May — a stark reminder of the intensifying climate crisis.

HRW has called on governments and employers to replace fixed-date policies with flexible, real-time “heat stress” monitoring to better protect workers.

A 2024 UN ILO report confirms that migrant workers in Arab states face the highest levels of occupational heat stress globally, as heatwaves become more frequent, prolonged, and intense.

A Kuwaiti electrician interviewed by HRW described summer work as a daily struggle, causing “dizziness, nausea, and blackouts,” with many collapsing due to extreme heat.