Al-Watan: Qatar Attaches Great Importance to Promotion, Protection of Human Rights

Doha, November 15 (QNA) - Al-Watan daily newspaper affirmed in its Sunday editorial that Qatar firmly believes that the promotion and protection of human rights is a strategic choice and an essential factor for the country's economic, social, cultural and environmental transformation. The paper said that Qatar has adopted many legislative measures related to the promotion and protection of human rights, pointing out Law No. 12 of 2015, which granted the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) independence and its members with immunity and legal guarantees, in order to enable NHRC to perform its work with full freedom and transparency. It added that the NHRC is a member of the UN Human Rights Council and has an active role in promoting the NHRC's tasks, which stipulate achieving universal respect for all human rights values, principles and fundamental freedoms without discrimination, as well as effectively addressing human rights violations throughout the world. In this regard, Al-Watan referred to the Ministry of Interior's assertion that promoting and protecting human rights is the backbone of the comprehensive reform policy pursued by Qatar, and a firm strategic choice directed at the movement of the State and society. The State of Qatar's celebration of the Qatari Human Rights Day, which falls on November 11 each year, is a renewal of the commitment of Qatar to the human rights system at all levels, the paper added. It also noted that Qatar National Vision 2030 affirms that the promotion and protection of human rights is a fundamental factor for the country's economic, social, cultural and environmental transformation, as it included important axes that deal with major human rights issues in the fields of education, health, the environment, employment rights, women's empowerment and children's rights. Al-Watan concluded its editorial by saying that these all comes within the framework of an integrated approach aimed at strengthening and consolidating the national commitment to human rights in order to move society from an approach based on providing social services that guarantee citizens their human rights to an enabling approach that also motivates them to active citizenship and popular participation. (QNA)