MPs Seek Oversight of Social Development Funded Bodies to Protect Staff Rights

MPs have put forward an urgent proposal calling for stronger oversight of institutions and associations funded by the Ministry of Social Development, arguing that closer supervision is needed to protect employees’ rights.

The proposal asks the Government to increase monitoring of entities receiving ministry support to ensure full compliance with employment contracts and labour law guarantees. 

In their explanatory memorandum, the members state that staff stability underpins the standard of social services delivered. They write that professional performance cannot remain balanced in a workplace marked by uncertainty or sudden decisions. Stricter supervision, they argue, would help ensure that wages, allowances, leave entitlements and other accrued benefits are respected and are not altered except through clear, publicly declared legal procedures.

The memorandum adds that oversight should serve a preventive role, stopping arbitrary measures that could weaken job security or reduce rights without lawful basis. It calls for regular follow-up mechanisms and periodic reviews of human resources practices within these bodies, saying such steps would strengthen transparency in staff management and limit cases of unjustified dismissal or unlawful cuts to benefits.

The MPs also link workforce stability to the continuity of the institutions themselves. Sharp staff turnover and repeated labour disputes, they write, can affect the standard of services and erode the confidence of beneficiaries. Stronger supervision would help maintain a balance between administrative independence and the rights of employees, supporting a stable and productive working environment.

The proposal was submitted by Khalid Buanaq, Ahmed Al Salloom, Hisham Al Awadhi, Zainab AbdulAmeer and Mohammed Al Maarefi, who have asked that it be treated as a matter of urgency in the public interest.