Doha, 20 Jan. 2026

The Fourth National Human Rights Forum opened this morning in Doha under the theme 'Human Rights at the Heart of Combating Drugs: Challenges and Prospects for Sustainable Solutions' spotlighting the need to strengthen national responses to traditional drug-related threats amid emerging digital challenges.

The two-day forum is organised by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, and in cooperation with the Ministries of Social Development and Family, Education and Higher Education, and Public Health, alongside various international and civil society stakeholders.

Present on the occasion were Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi; Chairman of General Authority of Customs (GAC), Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Jamal; and Chairperson of the NHRC, Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah; ambassadors, senior officials; experts from state institutions, and members of the media.

The forum provides a platform for dialogue among ministries, public institutions, civil society, and key stakeholders to review current challenges, national initiatives, and global best practices in drug control, with a strong emphasis on awareness, prevention, and human rights.

NHRC Chairperson, Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah emphasized that the forum addresses both the longstanding threats of drug abuse and the emerging challenges posed by digital technologies.

She stated, “We discuss the challenges and risks associated with drugs, which are a destructive scourge, and we aim to develop sustainable solutions to mitigate their negative impact on human rights and sustainable development.”

Al Attiyah highlighted that the rise in drug addiction worldwide, compounded by armed conflicts and political instability in some regions, is now intersecting with new patterns of transnational drug crimes fueled by AI and digital technologies, amplifying social, economic, and security threats.

These developments, she noted, threaten fundamental human rights, including the right to life, health, and an adequate standard of living, underscoring the need for a comprehensive human rights–based approach.

A key outcome of the forum is the call to review national measures to enhance their flexibility and speed of response to emerging challenges, particularly digital ones.

Al Attiyah stressed the importance of empowering youth and children to enjoy a safe digital environment, protected from drug-related risks, while simultaneously advancing rehabilitation, social reintegration, and protection from stigma and discrimination.

She underlined that youth should not only be beneficiaries of prevention programs but partners in shaping solutions, contributing to peer support initiatives and breaking cycles of addiction.

H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Jamal reaffirmed that drug control is a comprehensive societal and humanitarian issue, not solely a security concern.

He noted that during 2025, Qatari Customs intercepted 346 drug smuggling attempts, predominantly involving individuals aged 25–35, a demographic critical to national development. Customs also conducted 20 specialised training courses and deployed advanced AI-supported X-ray and backscatter inspection technologies across land, sea, and air ports to strengthen detection capabilities.