Qatar World Cup 2022: Can Qatar Guarantee Safety To Women Travellers
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Sulaiman
- . November 17, 2022
- . Update: November 17, 2022 6:35 pm
Many people on social media have shown dissatisfaction over human rights issues in Qatar. They have demanded the matter be resolved soon. Qatar is set to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 from November 20 to December 18 2022. However, people are in fear over the safety of women in the country.
Read | FIFA World Cup 2022: LGBTQ rights and alcohol issues in Qatar
A Twitter user @Ther0027 shared an article and wrote, “This is the same country that forced women off planes to have vaginal searches at gunpoint.” The user was referring to a 2020 incident when Qatar Airways conducted non-consensual gynaecological examinations on women.
Recently, lawyers for those women subjected to intrusive searches at Doha Airport called on Qatar to guarantee that female fans travelling to the football World Cup will be safe.
Lawyer Damian Sturzaker reportedly said, “Female travellers are entitled to an assurance from Qatar that their human rights will be respected.”
Another report emerged recently over women’s clothing in Qatar. Reportedly, female fans have been advised to dress properly to attend the World Cup. The laws in Qatar already ban women from wearing tight clothes and showing their body parts in public.
Another user @8eau slammed Qatar on Twitter. The user, identified as Nicola Fankhauser, wrote on Twitter, “The discrimination against women and LGBT people is concerning.” Nicola also shared a 42-page “Human Rights Guide for Reporters” guide by Human Rights Watch for people attending and reporting on the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Twitter user @Damian_Barr wrote, “Already sick of hearing the World Cup in Qatar being described as ‘controversial’. Flogging, jailing & threatening to kill LGBTQ+ people is not ‘controversial’. It’s horrific.”
Already sick of hearing the World Cup in Qatar being described as ‘controversial’.
Flogging, jailing & threatening to kill LGBTQ+ people is not ‘controversial’. It’s horrific.
And the minimising of this grim reality with mimsy words like ‘controversial’ adds insult to injury.
— Damian Barr’s Big Scottish Book Club (@Damian_Barr) November 16, 2022
@FBAwayDays wrote on Twitter, “Qatar is hiring people to pretend to be fans and build the atmosphere up for the World Cup.”
Another user @therealmissjo shared a picture from her trip to Qatar. She wrote, “Men and women are not allowed to be friends. To have coffee together. To be sociable. This is where the World Cup is, and you expect there not to be problems with rainbow flying, and men in frocks?”
From my last visit to Qatar.
Notice how there are no mixed tables.
Men and women are not allowed to be friends. To have coffee together. To be sociable.
This is where the World Cup is, and you expect there not to be problems with rainbow flying, men in frocks? pic.twitter.com/hTJ8gb85x2
— Miss Jo (@therealmissjo) November 16, 2022
Recently, Jess Fishlock and Laura McAllister also expressed concern over safety for the LGBT community in Qatar. They said, “We’re two gay women going to Qatar… a regime where homosexuality is actively repressed.”
Many people have raised their concerns on this matter. Rasha Younes, the senior LGBT rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, also condemned Qatar for not protecting the rights of the LGBT community. HRW also urged Qatar and FIFA sponsors to look into the matter.
