Qatar to play host to UN Special Rapporteurs
The National Human Rights Committee of Qatar (NHRC) will host a conference this week at the Ritz-Carlton Doha to discuss human rights issues in the Arab region.
The International Conference on the challenges to security and human rights in the Arab region will take place November 5-6 with over 300 participants expected to attend, including five United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteurs.
Participants will investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations and will discuss human rights topics including counter terrorism, torture and inhumane punishment and the freedom to assemble in peaceful protest.
This will be the first international conference of its kind in the region, and will be a positive step towards recognising the importance of universal human rights standards on a global scale.
There will be workshops on topics such as the promotion of human rights, codes of conduct and the reforming of security institutions to international standards of human rights.
In a statement released ahead of this conference, NHRC recognised that “maintaining security while realizing human rights are complementary factors if they are considered properly…where there is always awareness of the need to establish a realistic balance between security requirements and protection of human rights.
The issues for discussion at the conference would probably be twofold: first, to what extent will human rights and security be ‘considered properly’, and secondly, how a ‘realistic balance’ could be achieved within the unique political and social environment of the Gulf region.
On the final day, conference participants will provide recommendations to HE Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Koman, the Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council.
NHRC will hope to go some way toward providing more clarity and consistency in the protection and furtherance of human rights within the region with the valuable input of the participants at the conference.
