DOHA: As part of Qatar’s ongoing efforts to protect labourers’ rights in the country, Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) is joining a number of Qatari institutions to sponsor the first ever conference to be held on the issue, due to take place on Qatar’s Labour Day. The conference, which will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Doha tomorrow (May 1), is being organised by the National Human Rights Committee. It is also being sponsored by HE Dr Abdullah Saleh Mubarak al-Khulaifi, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Minister’s Assistant for International Co-operation Affairs. Amnesty International, which last year published a critical report about labourers’ rights in Qatar, especially in the construction industry, is also participating. Several distinguished speakers from the government, private companies and institutions, including Amnesty International, will address delegates at the one-day conference. Khalid Abdullah al-Sulaiteen, AZF’s chief executive officer, said: “Aspire Zone Foundation is proud to sponsor this important event, which strives to create a forum to address these issues and find solutions in providing labourers with a dignified life in Qatar as well as preserving their rights. “Aspire endeavours to be a leader in respect to protecting labourers’ rights. We apply Qatari labour laws for all our employees as well as suppliers and contractors, and expect their strict adherence to all labour laws prior to doing business with them. “International certificates awarded to Aspire in quality control, health and safety, serve to indicate our uncompromising belief in labourers’ rights. And last year, we were pleased to achieve 8mn man-hours without a single lost time incident.”