Migrant Workers in Dubais Development

Migrant Workers in Dubais DevelopmentMigrant Workers and the Development of Dubai.IntroductionDubai is part of the linked Arab Emirates (UAE), ane of the s evening emirates that rush up the UAE. Dubai attr puzzle outs millions of visitors for both melody and pleasure exclusively(prenominal) year. Dubai is a relatively tender city. The last 30 years hurt seen mass mental synthesis as merchantman understandably be seen from the pictures of clotheshorse Zayed Road at Annex 1 and from the NASA pictures at Annex 2. As in any developing city numerous construction cranes panelling the horizon. Dubai is very much a tale of two cities the immobilise red-brick city and the workers subject to labour conditions of those in the dark ages. Dubai has achieved economical advantage due to both its abundance of natural resource and because of its tax release shopping but at whose expense and with what future messinessential problems has this stunning modern city emerged? While Dubai has emerged as a global city, hosting dissolute events and conferences and attracting both media attention and the attention of the rich and famous for its beautiful builds, villas and apartment, reprehension of their treatment of immigrant workers and of human rights violations have also emerged.This try out looks at who is in operation(p) those cranes, the hatful who ar building this new, ultra modern city and examines the judicatures indemnity towards them. The first arm provides a demographic visibility of the population of Dubai. The second section looks at the socio-economic stratifications that exist in Dubai and the possible here for conflict, particularly in relation to the migrant workers. The third section looks at whatsoever of the UAE government activity policy towards migrants, in particular it looks at the issue of human rights examines the criticisms of human rights violations. In conclusion it is argued that if the disposal of the United Arab Emirates does non act to support and protect and integrate the people that be building their leading city then there is potential for bulky repercussions.The fast urban development that followed the 1971 federation completely changed the character of Dubai. The local anaesthetic citizens now represent only a minority of the population of which the coarse majority consists of immigrants from different societies with different planning ideologies (Haggag, 2003). The Table below clearly details this with 83.02% of the total population of Dubai being foreign born. The heathen and economic implications of this be discussed in the following section.Dubai Metropolitan Statistical Area alien Born 2005(http//www.gstudynet.org/gum/UAE/Dubai2005.htm, 31/03/07)Country of BirthPopulation% of international Born% of tally PopulationIndia538,56051%42.34%Pakistan168,96016%13.28%Arab (from SW Asia and marriage Africa)116,16011%9.13%Bangladesh95,0409%7.47%Philippines31,6803%2.49%Sri Lanka19,0081 .8%1.49%Europe11,6161.1%0.91%USA3,1680.3%0.25%Other Countries71,8086.8%5.65%Total contradictory Born1,056,000100%83.02%Total Population*1,272,000Source Ministry of excavate (2005 Statistics)* 2004 Estimate, UAE in Figures(www.uae.gov.ae/mop?UAE_figure/UAE_%2004_files/sheet001.htm) in that location are very distinct cultural (social) and economic stratifications in Dubai. Nicholson describes this as the Dubai sandwich at the bottom, bum and victimised Asian labour in the middle, white northern professional services, irrefutable tourist hunger for glamour in the sun and at the top, tremendous quantities of invested oil money, combined with fearsome social and political control (Nicolson, 2006)Although a Muslim emirate, Dubai has largely developed upon horse opera lines. large-scale projects have been merchandise and implemented by horse opera professionals, using their own modern building technologies. Many practical decisions, which ultimately affect the structure of society , education and judicature systems, and the shaping of the physical environment, are taken largely according to western ideologies. In many cases, major planning policies, development strategies, and even juristic codes follow western models (Haggag, 2003). Arab cities are fundamentally laid come forth differently to western ones and the impact of western planning ideologies on the traditional cast of Arab cities has been significant. there is a cultural dichotomy between western and Arabic. The interlocking pattern of architectural concept and style, the development of building processes, are all impacted by changes in socio-economic, political and cultural development (Haggag, 2003). As a result Dubai is a Westernised city in an Arabic state. This is professedly culturally as well as bars and restaurants serve alcohol, women are free to go out alone (not usual in near Arabic countries). There is concern over this but herein lies the crux of the matter of the issue for Dub ai how can a minority ideology rule? Dubai has strict policy on public behaviour, it is an arrest able rudeness for a man and woman to kiss in public and its an offence do dress inappropriately during Ramadan. Recently there has been debate in Dubai about the problems associated with multiculturalism in Dubai. (Fattah 19/10/06) Western liberalism in terms of dress combined with the traditional Muslim beliefs in the Arab country does not sit well together. Indeed Dubai can be seen as the put up where Huntingtons Clash of Civilisations is actually in one country (Huntingdon, 1993). How can Dubai relief the Arabic beliefs with what would become a cultural melting pot based on the multi- heathenish composition of its populace. Haggag gives an excellent distinguish of this dichotomy explaining that the adoption of Western concepts and ideologies in the cultural domain infringe the traditional personal manner of life and yet although a driving a concern in most modern Arabic societ ies, there has been smallish debate about the potential conflicts arising from this situation. Dubai is catering to the needs of the rich Western investor and needs to find a balance with the more traditional Arab way of life in order to prevent any future conflict.There is a clear economic stratification in the ethnic groups in Dubai also. Locals are typically owners, Westerners earn the top salaries and South Asians do the junior-grade labor. (Fattah, 19/10/06) Locals will bear on owners, as non-locals cannot purchase land in Dubai. The inequality in pay in itself has potential for conflict as the workers cannot be part of the city that they themselves are service of process to create. An army of some 250,000 men, largely from India and Pakistan, are labouring to create the new glimmer fantasy, earning on average 150 a month, and living in camps, four to a room, 12ft by 12ft, hidden away in the industrial quarters of al Quoz. One night in one of the lavishness hotels would c ost six months wages of one of the men who built it.(Nicolson, 2006) regime Policy towards Migrant WorkersWith regards to citizenship there are strict regulations, foreigners are unentitled for citizenship therefore preventing Dubai from becoming a cultural melting pot even though it has been built by non-residents. Given that there are no means of gaining permanent residency in Dubai (or any of the other Emirates) the UAE political relation has ruled that anyone born in the UAE takes on the nationality as their father and not that of the UAE. So should all those currently in Dubai remain there the ethnic make up will not change and the Arabs will remain a minority group in their own country.In the detail since 1971, public policy in Dubai has been characterised by a rush to construct. In order to do so it needed people to do the construction and so to sustain and enable the growth desired by the Government in Dubai thousands of migrant workers have come to the emirate. While the influx of people into Dubai and the construction has happened rapidly, there has been concern over the implementation of thought out and effective urban policy, or in other words policy development has not been in line with the development of the skyline of Dubai.There have been some reforms introduced but they have been met with opposition from the construction and business communities. In 2005 the Government put limits on when workers could work during the hottest months of July and August later an increase in heat related injuries and fined companies who did not allow for an afternoon break between 12.30pm and 4.30pm. This resulted in a lot of companies just pay the fines. ( gentleman Rights Watch makeup, 2007 p. 45) A new draft labour law from the UAE has been criticised for failing to meet international standards, for example it does not protect the workers right to fall upon in fact it punishes those workers who do strike. If Dubai and the rest of the UAE do not act to improve the treatment and rights of migrant workers they face potential for conflict not only from workers revolting but also increased international pressure, for a developing first class world city they need to balance the needs of the development with the needs of the people who are helping to make the development dreams real.Dubai is quite unique in that its indigenous population are a minority ethnic group. The Governments policy and desire of rapid urbanisation and a first class world city brought with it an influx of cheap migrant labour, thus changing the ethnic demographic of the emirate. As this essay has shown this has not come without problems and unless effective policies are put in slur there is great potential for further clashes along the different, interlinked stratifications that exist in society in Dubai. One of the most pressing issues facing the Government and of course those affected is that of human rights violations. Although this essay has shown that the Go vernment has taken some steps towards addressing human rights abuses, those steps have not been big seemly nor have they covered enough ground. The Government needs to find a balance between their needs and those of the people who are building their vision.Bibliography and referencesFattah, H. M., (04/12/05) Young Iranians Follow Dreams to Dubai The New York TimesHaggag, M.A. (2003) The western influence on traditional Arab cities With particular reference to Dubai, UAE Sustainable Planning and Development, pp. 801-811Nicolson A, (13/02/06) Boom town The GuardianUnited Nations (1990) International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of any Migrant Workers and Members of Their FamiliesHuman Rights Watch Report (2006) Swept Under the Rug, Abuses against home(prenominal) Workers Around the World ,Volume 18, Number 7(C)Human Rights Watch Report (2006) construction Towers, Cheating Workers, United Nations Human Rights CommissionHuman Rights Watch Report (2007) World Report UAE , United Nations Human Rights CommissionHuntingdon, S. (1993) The Clash of Civilizations? Foreign Affairs pp. 22-49Websiteswww.gstudynet.org/gumGlobalisation Urbanisation Migrationhttp//hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/18/uae12233.htmHuman Rights Watch