Doha, Media & Communication Dept., March 09
HE Director of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Turki bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud affirmed that respecting, promoting and protecting human rights is one of the pillars of the policy of the State of Qatar, which recognizes that human rights, in addition to peace and security, are interrelated and mutually reinforcing elements. This priority is reflected in a constitutional and legislative system that consolidates the principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms and guarantees their respect and protection for all. It is also reflected in an institutional framework that includes many human rights institutions and agencies that contribute effectively to the promotion and protection of human rights.
His Excellency explained, in a speech during a panel discussion on "Human Rights and Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals," on the sidelines of the Fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), held in Doha, that respecting, promoting and protecting human rights constitutes a strategic choice upon which the State of Qatar relies in the comprehensive reform process it is pursuing, pointing out that the comprehensive vision for development known as "Qatar National Vision 2030" included important axes related to the main issues of human rights in the fields of education, health, the environment, labor rights, women's empowerment and children's rights, as well as in the national development strategy, noting that the government of the State of Qatar considers the promotion and protection of human rights a fundamental and central pillar of its foreign policy.
He added that according to this perspective, the State of Qatar has pursued an advanced policy to consolidate the concepts and culture of human rights by following an approach based on the rule of law, transparency, justice and human dignity. A wide range of specific, concrete and pioneering actions have been taken over the past years with the aim of making human rights issues a mainstream trend at the national and international levels.
Director of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the State of Qatar was keen, during its membership in the Human Rights Council, to actively participate and constructively cooperate with member states in order to enable the Council to best discharge its mandate and achieve the noble purposes for which it was established.
He pointed out that based on the belief of the State of Qatar in the importance of continuing to work in this important international forum, its government took a decision to run for membership of the Council for the period 2022-2024, noting that fulfilling its national and international obligations encouraged it to take this decision and it continues to make progress towards fulfilling the pledges it made upon its election as a member of the Human Rights Council for the years 2015-2020.