Claims that 21,000 construction workers have perished in Saudi Arabia since 2017 have been denied by the administration, which has called them “misinformation.” The denial comes after Kingdom Uncovered, an ITV program that examines the grandiose Saudi Vision 2030 initiative and draws attention to purportedly hazardous working conditions, was released. The futuristic metropolis of Neom is part of Vision 2030, which seeks to establish Saudi Arabia as a major international economic center. Critics wonder if the government puts worker safety first in the face of this fast change, particularly as Saudi Arabia gets ready to host the FIFA World Cup in 2032.
Concerns over the rights and welfare of workers, especially the significant number of migrant laborers, have been raised by the documentary, which has sparked international attention. Prominent engineering firms involved in Vision 2030, such as Jacobs, Aecom, and Bechtel, refused to comment on worker death numbers despite repeated inquiries, raising additional concerns regarding transparency and accountability.
Saudi Arabia’s National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) has countered these claims, stating that the actual work-related fatality rate is 1.12 per 100,000 workers, a figure they say is among the lowest globally. Citing praise from the International Labour Organization and the British Safety Council, NCOSH underscored the country’s strides in occupational safety, including bans on outdoor work during peak summer heat and comprehensive health insurance mandates.
Despite these assurances, advocates for workers’ rights remain skeptical. Representatives from organizations like Anti-Slavery International argue that Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainability rings hollow if it sacrifices worker rights in the process. They are calling for enhanced legal protections and rigorous enforcement of existing labour laws, emphasizing that systemic issues still place migrant workers at risk.
ITV has clarified that its reported figures cover a broad period since the start of Vision 2030, prompting calls for stronger global oversight of labor practices within Saudi Arabia’s high-stakes development projects.
