Geneva/ Information Office/ 24 June 2015/ The State of Qatar affirmed that the promotion and protection of human rights are strategic choices of the state and represent the cornerstone of the policy of comprehensive reform it pursues, noting that it pays increasing attention to the issue of business and human rights in line with the United Nations guiding principles "protection, respect and remedy." This came in the speech delivered by HE Director of Human Rights Department in the Foreign Ministry Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim Al-Thani, during the interactive dialogue with the working group on the matter of human rights and private companies and the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, within the 29th session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva between June 15 to July 3. Sheikh Khalid Bin Jassim Al-Thani said that Qatar's attention to the issue of business and human rights is embodied in its effective participation in the second annual forum for business and human rights, which was held in Geneva in December 2013, stressing that Qatar will continue to participate in these annual forums. He pointed to the organization of the Regional Forum for Asia on business and human rights, which will be hosted by Doha in February 2016, saying that this forum aims to further promote the principles of the United Nations Guidelines among all stakeholders. HE Sheikh Khalid extended thanks to the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children Maria Grazia, for the report she submitted., backing her in that the measures to be taken to address the phenomenon of trafficking in persons must be comprehensive and pay special attention to the forms of exploitation of women and children. Regarding the State of Qatar's efforts in addressing the phenomenon of human trafficking, HE Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim Al-Thani said that Qatar has adopted a national plan of action for five years. Under this plan Qatar has issued a number of legislations that criminalize all human trafficking practices as set out in international standards, Sheikh Khalid said pointing that it established specialized institutions for combating the phenomenon. The State of Qatar has adopted and supported the Arab initiative on building national capacities to combat trafficking in persons, which was implemented within the framework of the partnership between the Qatar Foundation for Protection and Social Rehabilitation and the Office on Drugs and Crime of the United Nations and the Arab League. Concluding his speech, HE Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim Al-Thani said that the eighth paragraph of the Doha Declaration issued in the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice noted the need to promote and consolidate international and regional cooperation and to take appropriate measures to prevent and combat the crime of human trafficking, asking whether the Special Rapporteur has a perception to translate this international and regional cooperation to specific programs to address the crime of human trafficking.