Cairo, 28 February 2022
2 day conference held in Cairo has stressed on the need for concerted efforts to address roots and causes of conflicts. It pressed also to strengthen Arab Judicial cooperation to Confront Terrorism.
Conference was organised by National Human Rights Committee of Qatar in collaboration and support of Arab Network for Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI); National Committee for Human Rights in Egypt; Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); United Nations Development Program (UNDP); and General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.
The participants demanded that the goal of governments in regards to protection of rights of citizen be taken as protecting a human being when implementing the sustainable goals, which can only be achieved by providing economic empowerment to an individual ensuring the enjoyment of political and social freedom.
It is emphasized that development is indivisible and that the sustainable development goals are interconnected. Goal-16 as central ensures in achieving other goals too, however, for that political stability, securty, peace, democracy and
addressing the armed conflicts are essential.
It is pointed out that 2030 agenda is human rights agenda par excellence and identical to the same tools and methodologies which are used by human rights institutions for reporting, monitoring and measurement.
The participants noted the importance of involving human rights institutions for minitoring, reporting and measuring which helps achieving of agenda at state level and as well as early warning mechanisms in identifying main reasons of anti human rights violations, and marginalization of individuals in their societies.
They explained that serving the citizens and securing their needs are compass when making plan and allocating the budget. It reflects from the services like of health, education and sufficient income share of income provided to the citizens without discrimination, by keeping self dignity, equality and social justice.
It said that government sector is partner in the struggle for achieving the rights of all individuals and is integrated with rest of the stakeholders.
The participants of the conference stressed that the stability and development of the region as whole requires imposition of a political path for the settlement of Palestine issue by ending the occupation of Israeli apartheid government. The Palestinians to give right to determin their destiny on their land, to exploit their natural resources, develop their national economy and create development. All above will be achieved when international community assumes its legal and moral responsibilities and take effective intervenes.
The conference participants felt that to end and lift the siege on Gaza strip, to push pressure on the occupied forces to respect the human rights and humanitarian laws.
They stressed to work on all the goals of Goal 16 to prevent from violence and torture, to strengthen the rule of law and equal opportunities for access to justice, to combat all kinds of crimes including human trafficking, corruption, bribery, to reduce the flows of contraband, to ensure the protection of freedom and rights, to establish strong, effective and transparent, accountable institutions, to ensure public information in accordance to national legislation and international agreements.
The participants called for encouraging national human rights institutions to play active role on the national level in areas of implementation and follow ups to achieve development goals, specially Goal 16 through partnership with the stakeholders, organizations and civil societies in the Arab region and effective participation in various technical committees.
The participating experts emphasized that development goals should be integrated into the strategies and annual reports of national human rights organizations, and to link the complaint data base with the indicators of sustainable development goals.
It stressed on stakeholders to cooperate in creating real political will among the government departments to address the root cause of challenges that impede achieving the sustainable development goals, and in enhancing the space available for civil societies to transition to just, peaceful and to governments to strengthen the democratic atmosphere, freedom of opinion and expression.
They stressed on the importance of strengthening the efforts of national human rights organizations in raising the awareness on sustainable development goals.