Doha, 18 March 2022
National Human Rights Committee, Qatar (NHRC) and Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) held a symposium marking the annual Arab Human Rights Day titled 'The Right To A Healthy, Sound and Sustainable Environment In The State of Qatar' - Best Practices, Most Important Challenges'.
Both the organizing organizations joined hands celebrating Arab Human Rights in line of their signed earlier memorandum of understanding emphasizing on joint activities to raise awareness and education to strengthen and protection of human rights, developing a culture specially among the youth during their studies. Focusing mainly students in various branches of science to encourage them on research in area of human rights.
The speakers shed light on the efforts and it's pivotal role played by State of Qatar in past years on national, regional and international levels on protection for a healthy and sustainable environment. . They identified the most prominent challenges and best practices would fully realize promoting and in protecting the right for a healthy environment.
The speakers and panelists reviewed the efforts and successes on governmental, national, non-governmental and companies level in Qatar in the field of protecting the right to a healthy environment.
Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari, Vice Chairman, (NHRC) said that jointly organised symposium on annual Arab Human Rights day affirmed of the importance of human rights with both Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and NHRC have.
He said that we are proud in protecting of human rights since it is not an imported concept in our societies, it is the part of Arab-Islamic culture. 'We in National Human Rights Committee value and support any international approach that respects and protects the right to a healthy, sound and sustainable environment.
He stressed on realistic and effective implementation, specially efforts related to the adoption of a binding international agreement that respect and protect the right to the environment while including a mechanism of independent experts to examine countries reports including its legislation, policies and practices comply with the provisions of this convention.
Al Kuwairi added that a mechanism enabling it to receive complaints and communications in line with other international human rights treaties.
Abdulhadi Nasser Al Marri, Director, Climate Change Department, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change highlighted the protection of right to a healthy environment. success factors and the most important challenges when increase in the average temperature of atmosphere, desertification, loss of biodiversity and deterioration in biodiversity, land, forests, melting glaciers, increase in ocean acidity, rising sea levels, increasing salinity of agricultural soils, negativity impacting food security, affecting tourism and historical areas.
Al Marri touched on the inter-relationship between economic growth and climate protection and said that State of Qatar can play a leading role in future in all industrial sectors, as it combines the challenges of local climate with the strength of today's economy.
He said that the goals related to climate change are to build effective and developed environmental institutions and play a proactive and prominent regional role in assessing and mitigating the negative effects of climate change, especially on the countries of the Gulf region, in addition to supporting international efforts to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
Dr. Abdel Wahab El Affendi, President of Doha Institute for Studies regarded joint event on Arab Human Rights Day as a fruitfull cooperation which is among the Institute's scientific and intellectual priorities.
He noted that there is no place in need of attention to human rights more than the Arab region, where there is an urgent need for practical application in this area, not to be celebrated as ceremonial only.
He said that political environment in State of Qatar and having well established roots of human rights in general encourages interest of everyone in human rights issues on one hand and the environment on other hand.
Hamid Ali, Assistant Professor and Dean of Faculty of Public Administration and Development Economic (DI) moderated the first panel discussion.
Dr. Amir Kamal El-Dina, a legal expert with NHRC presented a research paper on the 'Right to the environment and it's relationship to human rights - and international and regional developments.
Dr. Laurent A. Lambert, Assistant Professor of Public Policy Program, College of Economics, Administration and Public Policies at DI, presented a paper on global challenges facing the right to a healthy environment. His study was focus on extent of international success in confronting them, reviewing successful and best global practices in the field.
American Chamber of Commerce Qatar
Bangladeshi Community
Filipino Community
Indian Community
Nepali Community
Pakistani Community
Sri Lankan Community
