
London, February 03 (QNA) – HE Chairperson of Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah held meetings with officials of several international organizations operating in the field of human rights. The meetings took place within her visit to Britain.
Her Excellency met with Director of Human Rights Watch in the United Kingdom Yasmine Ahmed; and May Romanos and Ella Knight, researchers with Amnesty International’s Migrant Labor working group, who represented Secretary-General of the organization Agnès Callamard; in addition to a meeting with Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Kishwer Falkner in London.
This is within a series of meetings held by the NHRC Chairperson over a period of 3 days within the framework of introducing the NHRC and discussing ways of cooperation.
In remarks, HE Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah said that the three meetings focused on addressing the leadership of international advocacy campaigns for human rights issues with a global impact such as the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, the effects of climate change on human rights, and others, within the framework of interaction at the international level.
She added that cooperation in supporting efforts to develop international mechanisms concerned with the protection of human rights, and the possibility of holding conferences, seminars and dialogue sessions with the aim of developing international human rights standards was discussed.
She explained that the meetings discussed ways to effectively communicate, exchange information, enhance capabilities in all areas of human rights, especially in the areas of preparing reports, enhance the capabilities of workers from different institutions and organizations on human rights topics, according to the target group inside and outside the country, and exchange experiences with regard to preparing training programs.
During the meeting with the Amnesty International’s Migrant Labor working group, the two sides discussed partnership in preparing programs and training manuals directed to school and university students, and cooperation and partnership in formulating manuals and programs with the aim of strengthening cooperation between national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations.
Within the framework of international cooperation with Amnesty International, Al Attiyah said that there was talk about cooperation in efforts to develop the international system concerned with the protection of human rights and to build the capabilities of emerging national institutions in the fields of monitoring, documentation and reporting.
She stressed the NHRC’s interest in cooperating in the field of developing international standards related to human rights by holding dialogue sessions on the sidelines of the sessions of the Human Rights Council and through conferences and seminars held in Doha and London.
On her meeting with Kishwer Falkner, Her Excellency said it dealt with mechanisms for receiving, studying, and addressing individual complaints, measures and mechanisms for addressing issues of discrimination, and mechanisms related to the rights of children, persons with disabilities, and expat workers, in addition to discussing the impact of commercial partnerships on the implementation of human rights.
During the meetings, Her Excellency introduced the efforts of the NHRC in promoting and protecting human rights in the State of Qatar.
She said that the committee was established in accordance with the Paris Principles adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, and that the committee obtained Grade A accreditation, the highest status given to national institutions when they commit to credibility, independence, and full compliance with the Paris Principles, adding that it works to provide free legal advice to workers through cooperation with a number of law firms in the State of Qatar.
With regard to Qatari legislation, Her Excellency presented an introduction to the measures taken by the State at the level of legislation, procedures and institutions within the framework of promoting and protecting human rights. Her Excellency noted the legislative developments taken by the State of Qatar regarding setting minimum wage for workers and domestic workers in accordance with their needs; amending some provisions of the law No. 21 of 2015 regulating the entry, exit and residence of expatriates; establishing the labor dispute resolution committee, which is specialized in adjudicating individual disputes arising from the application of the provisions of the Labor Law or the employment contract; and the wage protection system.
She also noted the limitation of working hours in outdoor spaces during the summer, and other procedures and measures taken by the state in this context. (QNA)