NHRC Chairperson Meet UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy
New York, June 14 (QNA) – HE Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah met with Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Guy Ryder at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The meeting discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the areas of protecting and promoting human rights, developing the capacities of national institutions, and supporting their participation in the work of various United Nations bodies.
HE Al Attiyah emphasized the importance of a strong international human rights protection system, along with independent and effective national institutions and an active civil society at both the national and international levels. She commended the role played by the United Nations Secretariat in supporting international efforts to promote and protect fundamental rights and freedoms.
Her Excellency showcased the NHRC’s history, indicating that it was established in 2002 in accordance with the Paris Principles governing the work of national human rights institutions, and obtained first-class accreditation (A) from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in 2010. This accreditation was renewed in 2015 and 2021, which is the highest classification granted to national institutions committed to independence, professionalism and full compliance with international standards.
Her Excellency affirmed that the committee continues to work on developing its performance and practices to maintain this classification, ensuring a neutral and objective professional performance in the service of human rights.
Her Excellency noted that the committee works to protect and promote the human rights of all persons under the legal jurisdiction of the State of Qatar, whether they are citizens, residents or visitors, through raising awareness and providing education, offering protection and support to individuals, as well as building national capacities in the field of human rights.
HE the NHRC Chairperson also addressed the NHRC’s role in supporting the establishment of independent national human rights institutions in the Gulf region, stressing the NHRC’s contribution in providing the necessary expertise and technical support to promote this trend in a number of countries, including the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Kuwait, in line with the Paris Principles and relevant international standards.
Her Excellency also discussed the key legislative reforms that the State of Qatar has witnessed in recent years, including the abolition of the sponsorship system and exit permits, the introduction of the Wage Protection System, the approval of the minimum wage, the establishment of labor dispute resolution committees and the Workers Support and Insurance Fund, in addition to the Domestic Workers Law, stressing that these reforms represent important steps towards enhancing the protection of workers’ rights.
She noted that the NHRC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Labour to monitor the implementation of these reforms, identifying challenges, and working together to address them.
For his part, Guy Ryder commended the efforts of the NHRC, noting the leading role played by HE Al Attiyah at the national and international levels.
Ryder, who previously served as Director-General of the International Labour Organization, noted the importance of monitoring the impact of labor reforms on the ground, stressing that attention to workers’ rights is a long-term commitment.
The two sides also discussed the challenges associated with the recruitment of workers from labor-exporting countries. Ryder noted the continuation of some illegal practices, such as providing employment contracts that do not match the actual contracts or imposing recruitment fees on workers, which leads some of them to fall into a spiral of debt.
At the conclusion of the meeting, HE the NHRC Chairperson proposed a number of areas of future cooperation with the UN, including capacity-building, education and training programs in the field of human rights, exchange of experiences and knowledge, strengthening international advocacy for human rights issues, as well as cooperation in the field of workers’ rights and benefiting from specialized international expertise.
Her Excellency stressed the importance of enhancing the participation of national human rights institutions in the work of the Economic and Social Council and various UN bodies, in order to amplify the voice of these institutions and benefit from their field experience in supporting international efforts related to human rights, development and climate action. Her Excellency stressed the importance of enhancing the participation of national human rights institutions in the work of the Economic and Social Council and various UN bodies, in order to amplify the voice of these institutions and benefit from their field experience in supporting international efforts related to human rights, development and climate action. (QNA)
