Qatar Plays Constructive Role to Promote and Protect Human Rights

Qatar Plays Constructive Role to Promote and Protect Human Rights

New York/Information Office/ 17 November 2015/ The State of Qatar has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to play a constructive and neutral role for to promote and protect human rights, with full cooperation with international organizations and UN relevant bodies in accordance with the international standards, in particular the Human Rights Council and its bodies and mechanisms. This came in a statement of the State of Qatar delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani before the UN General Assembly meeting on the item "Report of the Human Rights Council". At the beginning of the statement, she expressed Qatar's strong condemnation of the criminal bombings in several areas in the French capital Paris which resulted in the deaths and injuries of a large number of people, stressing that this is contrary to all moral, human and religious values which are aimed at destabilizing the security and stability and the killing of innocent unsuspecting. HE also reaffirmed Qatar's support to the Human Rights Council since its inception and commended as well its efforts to carry out its work in accordance with the principles of impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity. Qatar's statement emphasised to exert every possible effort to ensure that the Council is able to perform its functions to improve human rights standards, address human rights violations, including gross and systematic violations, response immediately to emergencies, promote the right of development and education, fight against violence and put an end to impunity. The statement also announced that Qatar opposes some attempts to undermine the Council's efforts. The State of Qatar, represented by its wise leadership, attaches great importance to promote, respect and protect human rights in the framework of the comprehensive reform policy pursued by the State in accordance with the overall vision for the development "Qatar National Vision 2030". According to the statement, this trend comes in parallel with the State's Keenness to undertake a constructive and effective role in the protection and promotion of human rights at the regional and international levels by following an approach based on impartiality, justice and objectivity. HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani confirmed the keenness of the State of Qatar through its membership in the Council to fulfill its obligations and commitments in the field of human rights, the preservation of the principles of humanity, consolidation of the human rights' concepts and culture and the cooperation with the Council and other human rights bodies, adding that this option is embodied by participating in the Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review to discuss the second report of the State of Qatar in 2014. She added that this participation is a process to promote understanding and an opportunity to develop and upgrade the national policies on human rights which will support the state's journey to keep up with the cultural, humanitarian, developmental and democratic evolution, and will maintain the prosperity and welfare enjoyed by the State of Qatar. Qatar seeks to develop and improve its performance in the field of human rights not only through the promotion of constitutional protection and legal guarantees, but also through the development of the institutional framework to promote and protect human rights and the exchange of experiences with other countries, HE Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani said in the statement, adding that this has been confirmed by Qatar's open and standing invitation to the those in charge of special procedures, including Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants in 2013 and the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers in 2014, who praised Qatar's cooperation with them and its response to their recommendations. HE pointed out that the State of Qatar was keen to play an active role in the protection and promotion of human rights in the regional context through hosting the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region in Doha, saying that the Third Committee will consider on November 17, 2015 the draft resolution entitled "United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region ", expressing her thanks for the countries that co-sponsored this draft resolution, which is presented for the fourth time since its inception in 2005. On the other hand, Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani praised the Council's efforts in providing technical assistance and building capacity for countries to fulfill their obligations in the field of human rights as well as its growing and effective role in consolidating the concepts and culture of human rights and raising awareness on it. She also commended the adoption of the draft decision to protect the family in the Human Rights Council, underlying the importance of what the family is enjoyed of the huge potential that contributes to building communities and promoting development. In addition, the State of Qatar's statement demanded the international community to coordinate efforts to ensure a free and safe environment for civil society organizations to work in without fear or intimidation, noting at the same time to the active participation of the civil society organizations in the work of the Council in the framework of human rights.