Qatar

Doha / Information Office / March 11

The consultative meetings of the small group of the National Human Rights Action Plan Committee, to consult with the various stakeholders in the country regarding the proposed strategic goals of the national human rights action plan concluded today.

The meetings were concluded with the third consultative meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs chaired by the Assistant Director of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Youssef Jassim Al Thani and included a discussion of the 4th strategic goal "strengthening of the national system for protecting and promoting human rights", the 5th goal "to activate civil society organizations and develop their goals towards strengthening and protection of human rights, the 6th goal "to integrate the business community into the general national effort to promote and protect human rights", and the 7th goal "to establish partnerships with regional and international human rights bodies."

The Assistant Director of the Human Rights Department, said in his speech, that the Cabinet decision at its ninth ordinary meeting of 2017 to form a committee concerned with preparing the national action plan under the chairmanship of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, comes within the framework of the increasing interest the state attaches to the issue of the promotion and protection of human rights, which represents a strategic choice for the State and forms the backbone of the comprehensive reform policy pursued by the State where human development and the protection and promotion of human rights are at the top of the priorities of the State of Qatar.

HE pointed out that the State's involvement in preparing a national action plan for human rights confirms its commitment to international covenants on human rights. He said that organizing these consultative meetings comes within the framework of the consideration of the views and observations of the authorities concerned with the implementation of the strategic goals of the plan, where consultations emphasize the principle of participation in preparing the national action plan, and respecting the opinion of the state and society sectors regarding the measures, policies or plans required to achieve the strategic goals of the plan, by describing these sectors as the real stakeholders in the implementation of the plan, and part of the concerned parties to implement simultaneously.

HE Assistant Director of the Human Rights Department indicated that two consultative meetings were held: the first was held last Wednesday on the first strategic goal related to establishing a legislative environment consistent with international human rights standards, and the second was held last Monday on the second and third strategic goals on strengthening National capabilities in the field of human rights and spreading a culture of human rights.

He added that today's meeting included three presentations, the first of which was a preliminary presentation on national human rights action plans presented by Dr. Muhammad Saeed Al Tayeb, the second presentation was about the national committee for preparing the national human rights action plan presented by Dr. Hamda Al Sulaiti, while the third one was presented by Dr. Osama Al Alowsi, which was about the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th strategic goals.