NHRC Exists To Protect And Promote Human Rights Of All Persons In Qatar, Says Chairperson

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA

New York: Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah met with Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris and Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Achim Steiner.

During both meetings, Al Attiyah said that the NHRC exists to protect and promote the human rights of all persons subject to the legal jurisdiction of Qatar, be it citizens, residents, and transit travellers. For that reason, NHRC's mission is to raise awareness, educate, and provide the necessary support and protection to individuals, in addition to build and train national capabilities in the field of human rights.

Al Attiyah said that NHRC's priorities are set according to the kind of issues and petitions it receives, therefore, it is primarily concerned with the labour rights, women rights, and the rights of people with disabilities. She added that the Committee offers several programmes and activities to raise awareness of the relevant legal framework granting the rights of these groups. Al Attiyah also stressed that the NHRC is also interested in setting and updating school curricula to introduce the culture of human rights, with the Committee providing educational materials to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, to be cited and integration in education.

Al Attiyah discussed the role of NHRC in providing recommendations for legislations and procedures in accordance with international human rights standards, in addition to receiving complaints and resolving them in cooperation with the competent authorities.

She indicated that NHRC cooperates with the UN and its affiliated agencies, especially the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms (mandate holders in charge of special procedures), and human rights bodies established under treaties, noting that NHRC participates and contributes in human rights mechanisms, and follows up on the recommendations of the International human rights system at the national level.

During her meeting with Ilze Brands Kehris, Al Attiyah expressed her appreciation for the great role that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) plays and its important partnership with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) which she chairs. Al Attiyah expressed the potential of cooperating in exploring the interrelationship between climate change and human rights, making joint calls for developing climate policies that take into account its effects on human rights, in addition to enhancing cooperation on dealing with international human rights bodies, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council.

During her meeting with Achim Steiner, Al Attiyah said that the United Nations system, the UNDP, the OHCHR, and their representatives in international forums have always played an important role in supporting the mandate of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in establishing, strengthening, and protecting NHRIs, ensuring their independence and effectiveness in all areas.

She added that NHRC is looking forward to continue to work with UNDP, world countries, and partners to achieve this goal. Al Attiyah called for establishing an effective partnership between NHRC and UNDP on sustainable development initiatives and environmental protection as their main focus.

She said both sides could explore cooperation projects on climate change mitigation, renewable energy adoption, sustainable management of natural resources, human rights education and training both locally and globally, as well as conducting research and data collection on various human rights issues in Qatar.

Consequently, she noted this data could then be used to guide policy, monitor progress, and identify areas that require special attention.

MENAFN11102023000063011010ID1107223234