GCC States Stress the Need to Pay Attention to Achieving All Guarantees for Active Participation in Science
Geneva - Media & Communication Dept.- 07 March 2024
The GCC states stressed the importance of exerting further efforts to study all aspects of the right to science and its cultural background as a new concept, especially in relation to the legal controls that should frame it, with special emphasis on its relationship with other human rights.
This came in the statement delivered by Her Excellency Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al-Muftah, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar in Geneva, on behalf of the GCC states. The statement was delivered in her capacity as Chairman of the GCC Group, during Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights, as part of Human Rights Council 55th Session.
In the statement, the GCC states stressed the need to pay attention to achieving all guarantees for active participation in science and removing various obstacles that limit it. The GCC states also noted the importance of devoting the concept of the right to participate as well as the right to refrain from participating in science, for example, respecting the principle of acceptance and the right to refuse to undergo scientific experiments, as these are concepts related to fundamental rights and freedoms.
The statement pointed out that GCC states set the agenda for the development of modern sciences and technologies among their priorities. In addition, they have devoted many initiatives to supporting innovation and scientific, technical and technological research. They have also approved programs and assigned bodies at the ministerial level specialized in studying scientific development in all its aspects, including the development of legislative frameworks and relevant human rights aspects.
On this occasion, GCC states called for more efforts at the international level to support participation in science, including the perspective of taking into account the principle of equality and sharing the benefits of emerging scientific and technological progress among all developing and developed countries alike.