Qatar’s hosting of the sub-regional Office for West Asia is another opportunity to resolve challenges to human rights
Doha: January 29, 2019
Dr. Ali Bin Smaikh Al Marri, Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee, said that Doha will be a platform for open and transparent dialogue on the various challenges facing human rights in the region, pointing out that Qatar’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Forum Regional Office is another opportunity to fulfill its commitments to develop the human rights system and find solutions to the challenges it faces in Qatar and the region.
Dr. Al Marri’s remarks came during the meeting of the SEO from the Asia-Pacific Forum in Doha. Over the course of two days, Al Marri held meetings with the SEO from the member institutors in the Arab States, Asia and other institutions of the Asia-Pacific Forum. Al Marri discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between the National Human Rights Committee and its counterparts in the Asia Pacific region, which will develop the performance of human rights institutions, particularly following hosting the NHRC of the APF’s sub-regional office for West Asia at its headquarters since 2016, and unanimously electing Dr. Al Marri to serve as the Secretariat of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.
Dr. Al Marri called on SEO to enhance communication with each other in a way that serves the development and promotion of human rights in the Asia-Pacific region, and noted the importance of the roles and functions of national human rights institutions in the Asia-Pacific region. It is worth mentioning that The APF comprises 25 NHRIs, and it is considered to be the largest network of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, reflecting the development of the human rights system in the region.
Al Marri also noted that 16 national human rights institutions in Asia Pacific region, including the National Human Rights Committee, have been accredited status “A”. Furthermore, new national institutions have been established in other countries, such as Kuwait, Lebanon and Central Asian States.
Al Marri concluded by stressing the willingness of the National Human Rights Committee to organize more events and meetings that would open a platform for open and transparent dialogue on the most important challenges facing human rights institutions in Asia and the Pacific. Region.
Challenges to human rights organizations are on the table
On the other hand, SEO of the Asia-Pacific Forum continued their meetings on the second day by holding a series of training workshops on the challenges they face in their work, and how to develop their relationships and communication with various civil society actors and government officials so that they can achieve the objectives and vision of their institutions.
The participants gave a brief overview of the challenges facing each human rights institution in the Asia Pacific region, and the alternatives and solutions they have created to meet those challenges. The Senior Executive Network was established in 2001 as a platform for bringing together senior officials and human rights officers of the APF member institutions. The network provides a space for regular gathering of SEO and exchange of experiences, and providing support to SEO to address the challenges they face in managing NHRIs. The network of SEO aims to assist the management and secretariat of the Forum to respond to the development needs of member institutions through capacity development activities, support the implementation of the strategic plan of the Forum, identify and advise on emerging regional human rights issues, and put recommendations.
The SEO act as the bridge between the management of institutions and their employees; they work in increasingly difficult contexts as institutional focal points for communication with members, with the aim to identify challenges and also as consultants in the implementation of the Forum strategy. The Network of Senior Executives is therefore an important platform to support these unique positions, and build stronger national institutions.


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