Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiya speaking at the event.
Doha: The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) yesterday celebrated the “Qatar Human Rights Day”, which falls on November 11.
This day marks 20th anniversary of the establishment of the National Human Rights Committee. The celebration programme included the launch of the committee’s new website, which appeared in a new look to enable all members of society to benefit from various services through this electronic portal.
Addressing the event, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiya said that the Committee commemorates on this day the 20th anniversary as it was established in 2002.
At the same time, she said, NHRC celebrates the anniversary of the founding of the committee as a Qatar Human Rights Day, an event that marked a milestone in the contemporary history of Qatar, and its tireless efforts to establish the rule of law and human rights, and its aspiration for more dignity, freedom, justice and equality for every human living on this territory.
Al Attiya noted that the committee’s celebration of this occasion also coincides with Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in a few days, which is the most prominent global sporting event in history, and the first of its kind in our Arab and Islamic region to renew our firm commitment to human rights.
She said that the Committee reviews this celebration as an opportunity to learn about the tangible progress that has been made in the field of human rights protection in Qatar, to measure the challenges, and to set goals.
Al Attiya pointed out that the NHRC constituted an important force of proposal in raising awareness of human rights issues and enriching knowledge and national human rights dialogue related to them.
She said that it is also building national responses to the required legislative reforms and aligning them with international human rights standards, the most prominent example is the protection of the rights of expatriate workers.
Al Attiya added that the committee’s annual reports, over the course of twenty years, were not without vigorous follow-up on the rights of migrant workers and recommendations regarding their protection.
She stressed that the NHRC’s firm adherence to the Paris Principles of 1993 was a major reason for strengthening its position and role nationally and globally.
Al Attiya noted that the Committee was able to make human rights a national culture and a daily practice for individuals and institutions alike.