Geneva / Information Office / February 27
HE Assistant Foreign Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater participated in an event organized on the sidelines of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on good governance and human rights, under the patronage of the permanent delegation of the State of Qatar and the permanent mission to Malaysia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC,) with the intensive participation of members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of governments and international organizations, in addition to civil society representatives.
Speaking during the panel discussion, Her Excellency said that discussing the topic of good governance and human rights is a timely issue, as it highlights the pressing challenges that define the world, and is critical and important in linking key mutually-dependent aspects, such as supporting human rights, development and the fight against corruption.
Her Excellency also pointed out that the experience of The State of Qatar proved that there is no conflict between Islam, development, good governance and human rights, noting that Qatar is now one of the fastest growing economies in the region due to Qatar National Vision 2030, the National Development Strategy (2012-2017) and the Second National Development Strategy (2018-2022).
Her Excellency added that in terms of human development, Qatar has been classified by the United Nations as a country with very high human development, among the best countries in the region and around the world in many indicators, pointing out that the issue of the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of a strategic vision that puts human beings as the top priority.
HE Assistant Foreign Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Qatar is a key international actor in many areas, including mediation, conflict resolution, humanitarian assistance, development cooperation and partnerships. Her Excellency further explained that Qatar, based on its firm belief in the importance of international cooperation and multilateralism for development, has spared no effort in providing development assistance to many countries and supporting its efforts towards the implementation of development programs. Her Excellency also pointed out that The State of Qatar has managed to overcome the negative effects of the unjust blockade imposed on it by some neighboring countries since June 2017, especially the economic impact, by strengthening its resilience and partnership with friendly countries, as well as continuing to implement strategic projects. Her Excellency also explained that The State of Qatar attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of women's rights, as well as the issue of gender equality, considering it a catalyst to ensure equal participation of both men and women in the national development process.
HE Al Khater pointed out that Qatari women have gained access to influential decision-making positions and have become important players in the civil service and the private sector, thanks to the encouraging role of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in supporting women to achieve equal rights and improve the promotion of women's position and role in society.
In her speech, HE noted that Qatar and Malaysia tried in their experiment to reconcile adherence to Islamic teachings while keeping pace with the times.