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  فيسبوك طباعة

Human Rights 

The Office of Human Rights was established in 2003 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ decision No. 16 of 2003 on the establishment of the Office of Human Rights affairs.

The State of Qatar has adopted several legislative measures in relation to the protection and strengthening of human rights. It issued the law No.12 for the year 2015, which granted the national committee of human rights autonomy and immunity and legal guarantees to its members in order to empower when doing the committee's tasks for which the law guaranteed total freedom and transparency. Furthermore, the State of Qatar is currently engaged in preparing the national plan for human rights, in accordance with the cabinet  resolution issued in 2014.

The State of Qatar strongly believes that the protection of human rights constitutes as a strategic option, and it’s the basic factor for economic, social, cultural and environmental transformations of the State of Qatar. This belief is reflected in the 2030 National Vision, that focuses on the main issues of human rights in education, healthcare, environment, labor rights, women empowerment and rights of children.

The State of Qatar is a member of the Human Rights Council,  and it has an active role in strengthening the task of the Council which stipulates achieving respect for all the principles of Human Rights and the basic rights without discrimination, as well as addressing effectively  the human rights violations perpetrated in all parts of the world.

The State of Qatar highly appreciates the contributions of the migrant workers and their  role in  development. Therefore, there is no doubt in Qatar's continuous commitment to amending  and implementing  the laws related to the rights of migrant workers.

The State of Qatar confirms its total support and cooperation with the international and regional mechanisms catering for strengthening and the  protecting human rights.

FIRST: Files in regards to Human Rights matters within the UN framework

UN Council of Human Rights :

 The Office of human rights participates on regular basis in the UN Council of Human Rights sessions since it was established in 2006. .

Universal Periodic Review Mechanism:

• The Office participates on regular basis in the sessions of the working group concerned with the Procedures of Universal Periodic Review.
• The Office had the honor to assume the vice-chairmanship of the National Committee to prepare and discuss the Report of the State on the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism before the working group of the Board of Human rights in Geneva in February 2010.

Second: prepare reports for monitoring committees and discuss them:

  • The Office had the honor to chair the National Committee for the preparation and discussion of the 16th Report of the State of Qatar including reports (13, 14, and 15) of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

  • The Office had the honor to chair the National Committee for the preparation of the second periodic report of the Committee against Torture.

  • The Office had the honor to chair the National Committee for the preparation of the Report of the State of Qatar about the work of high-level task force concerned with the right to development; and to participate in the 12th session of the task force concerned with the right to development held in Geneva from 14-18 November 2011. 

  • The Office had the honor to assume the vice-chairmanship of the National Committee for the preparation of the Report of the State of Qatar for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

  • The Office had the honor to chair the National Committee for the preparation of the initial report of the State of Qatar on the measures taken by the State with respect to the rights and freedoms stated on the Arab Charter for Human Rights.

  • The Office had the honor to assume the vice-chairmanship of the National Committee to follow-up on the recommendations related to the Universal Periodic Review. 

Third: Human Rights issues within the Regional and Islamic framework:

Arab League:

The Office participates on regular basis in the meetings of the Arab permanent Committee on Human Rights in the Arab League Secretariat General.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation:

The Office participates in the meetings of the independent permanent Commission for Human Rights reporting to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

GCC Secretariat General:

The Office participates in the periodic meetings of Governmental Authorities concerned with human rights in the GCC states.

Fourth: reports issued by countries about the status of human rights in the State of Qatar: 

The Office responds to Human rights reports issued by some countries about the status of human rights in the State of Qatar. In this regard, it is worth noting the annual reports issued by the US Department of State are 3 reports: 

  • Human Rights Report: the US Department of State issues a detailed annual report about the status of human rights in the world. This report monitors various globally recognized fields of human rights. The Office responds to the report of the US Department of State in addition to providing the US Embassy with the latest updates in terms of human rights protection and enhancement in the State. 

  • The Report on the Freedom of Religion: this reports is supplementary to the report of human rights through providing additional detailed information in regards to freedom of religion issues. This report includes chapters for each country separately highlighting the status of freedom of religion in the State. The Office responds to the report and provides the US embassy with the latest updates. 

  • The Report on Trafficking in Persons: this report is considered the most comprehensive in the world. It highlights efforts exerted by governments to counter Trafficking in Persons crimes and the outcomes achieved to increase the global awareness. It stimulates the countries to take effective actions to counter Trafficking in Persons. The Office responds to the report and provides the US Embassy with the information required and the latest updates.

Fifth: issues related to cooperation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Center for Human Rights Training and Documentation of South-West Asia and Arab Region in Doha.

The UN Center for Human Rights Training and Documentation of South-West Asia and Arab Region was established in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES//60/153 unanimously approved in December 2005. The initiative to establish the Center has been fully supported and encouraged, regionally and internationally.

Through training, documentation and expertise sharing; the Center aims at:

Cooperating with governments in terms of improving principles and policy of human rights which may contain the formulation of national plans for human rights, integration of international standards of human rights within the local regulations and the encouragement of the ratification of the international conventions on human rights.

Enhancing and strengthening the capabilities of the government institutions and the authorities concerned with Justice to promote and protect human rights.

  • Support and enhance initiatives by countries to establish national authorities for human rights.
  • Support and enhance cooperation between governments and NGOs.
  • Support and wide use of Human rights educational programs.
  • Integrate human rights concepts in the programs of the UN agencies.

The Center covers South-West Asia and Arab Region. It is supervised and run by the office of High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN center for human rights in Geneva.

According to the General Assembly Resolution on the establishment of the Center, the State of Qatar hosts the Center and provides HQ for the Center and other HQ-relevant facilitations. The Government of the State of Qatar and the office of High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Center for Human Rights signed the HQ agreement to host the center in December 2008.

The Center was officially opened in 27 May 2009 in the presence of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. On the day it was opened, the Center organized many workshops and programs about the future visions of the Center, contracting procedures and the Universal Periodic Review procedures.

Sixth: other internal and local engagements:

  • Director of the Office is the MOFA representative in the National Committee for Human Rights.
  • The Office represented the MOFA in the National Committee for the preparation of the Report of the State of Qatar about the implementation of the Convention on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
  • The Office represented the MOFA in the National Committee concerned with the preparation of the draft of trafficking in persons.
  • The Office represented the MOFA in the National Committee concerned with the preparation of the draft of servants.
  • The Office participates in the local conferences, workshops and seminars relevant to enhance and protect human rights to which the Office is invited.
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