The Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee, Dr. Ali Al Marri met UK Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling.
The meeting was attended by UK Ambassador to Qatar Nicholas Hopton.

It discussed means of enhancing cooperation in legal affairs as well as issues of common concern related to exchange of expertise and transfer of other experiences in human rights field.

Dr. Al-Marri chairs the Supreme Preparatory Committee meeting in Tunisia

Dr. Al-Marri: The conference falls in with the strategy of the National Human Rights Committee in the promotion of human rights in the region

The Conference’s higher preparatory committee held a meeting at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab Interior Ministers Council in Tunisia which was chaired by the chairman of Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), Dr. Ali Al Marri together with representatives of the General Secretariat, the UN High Commission for Human Rights, the Arab League and the Arab Network of National Institutions for Human Rights attending as partners in organizing the Conference.

For the first time, Arab interior ministries, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), human rights organizations and non-governmental human rights organizations will meet together to discuss security and human rights issues and constraints in the march of human rights and review the Arab and international experiences in the field of security and human rights in addition to the most important conventions related to the work of security agencies and human rights organizations.

More than 300 representatives from Arab, regional and international human rights organizations in addition to representatives of European, African and American courts of Human Rights along with representatives of the International Criminal Court, United Nations agencies, Interpol, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE), Naif Arab University for Security Sciences and the United Nations Office on drugs and Crime as well as the United Nations Inter-regional Crime and Justice Research Institute will take part in the event.

Dr. Al Marri lauded support and efforts being made by the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani for the success of the conference.

In this context, Al Marri added that the conference is the only one of its kind to be organized by NHRC and hosted by the State of Qatar, pointing out that the government of the state of Qatar under the wise leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, has extended its rapid response to support of the humanity dignity.

Dr. Al-Marri referred to the value of the partnership between the NHRC, Ministry of Interior in the process of promoting and spreading the culture of respect for human rights at the local, regional and international levels through courses on strengthening the capacity of all security services organized by the NHRC in cooperation with Ministry of the Interior.
On the sidelines of the preparatory committee meeting , The NHRC chairman Dr. Ali Al Marri met with Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Kuman. Both sides discussed the latest developments and arrangements for the international conference on the challenges of security and human rights in the Arab region.

The 19th Annual General Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions is held along with the meeting of the APF Forum Councilors in New Delhi from the 3rd to 5th September, 2014.

Dr. Al Marri, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee and the Chairman of the Forum gave a speech welcoming the attendees and a summary of the international activities of the forum and the submission of the report of the Subcommittee on accreditation of the international Coordinating Committee, which is chaired by Dr. Al-Marri.

The Forum denounced and condemned in its opening Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and the violations of the international humanitarian law committed by the Israeli army; the conferees stressed the need not to Israel’s impunity on the war crimes committed against unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The meeting discussed on the first day the report of the Open-ended United Nations Working Group on Ageing, reviewing the membership request of Kazakhstan to join the forum, as well as the representation of the International Coordinating Committee in the Forum and the financial report of the Secretariat of the (APF), along with a session allocated to the Board of advisers of the Forum and dialogue organizations, non-governmental organizations and The Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI) and dialogue came as an opportunity for national institutions and civil society representatives to discuss practical and constructive means by which they can participate and cooperate in the Strategic Plan for the APF (2015-2020).

The second and third days of the meeting discussed several issues, including the strategic objectives of the Asian Pacific Forum, communications strategy, following-up on the APF Strategic Plan (2015 – 2020), women and girls rights, and how to strengthen national institutions and protect rights of women and girls.

The National Human rights Committee held the Garangao celebration which was attended by the NHRC staff and their children who enjoyed the different activities presented during the event.
The celebration was held at the headquarters of the NHRC in a festive atmosphere amid chants and songs that recall the memories of the past and renew its heritage and traditions. It provided a range of distinctive and amazing activities which combines ideas, visions and arts.
Director of the financial and administrative Department Mr. Fahd AL Hajri described the event as distinguished. Children are the core of organizing such an event, he said adding that they were involved in all the activities during the celebration.
Director of the Public relations unit, Mr. Abdillah AL Mahmoud added that children who participated in the celebration activities, came wearing Qatari traditional outfits and performed the famous Garangao traditional song. They were also given Garangao-themed gifts. He also pointed to the role of families in passing heritage to the young generations and the importance of incorporating it in the educational process.

Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission have signed a joint cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the second session of the Arab Ibero-American Dialogue of National Human Rights Institutions, which was held in Baja California, Mexico from June 2-3.

The agreement was signed during the participation of the Chairman of the NHRC Dr. Ali Al Merri in the event.
The two committees said that the main goal of the agreement was to promote and ensure effective and full enjoyment of human rights.

The two parties said that they agreed to implement the agreement and start close cooperation between them in order to contribute to ensuring the development of the democratic system and the protection of human rights.
They also agreed to cooperate in establishing, strengthening national institutions for human rights and protecting human rights around world.

Areas of cooperation under the agreement included joint technical assistance in addressing issues related to the nature of their work, encouraging the exchange of information and experiences on issues related to investigating and studying complaints, and initiating institutional projects that allow the two parties to develop strategies for protecting and promoting human rights on the basis of international mechanisms adopted by each country taking into account the rights and interests of their citizens, especially in matters relating to education and training in fields of human rights and the rights of persons with disabilities in addition to the economic, social and cultural rights of the child.

The two sides also agreed to provide each other with necessary needs and requirements for achieving agreement objectives.

The Chairman of Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), Dr. Ali Al-Marri met The German Minister of State Prof. Dr. Maria Bohmer, who visited Qatar to participate in the World Heritage Committee meeting.

The meeting was attended by the Director of NHRC’s International Cooperation Department Sheikha Ghalia Al Thani and Germany’s Ambassador to Qatar Angelika Storz-Chakarji . The meeting discussed the Human rights march and development in the State of Qatar in addition to means of establishing cooperation on issues of common concern.

The German minister praised the human rights conditions in Qatar saying that Qatar can be at the forefront of the region’s countries in the field of human rights.

Dr. Marri: There are major efforts exerted by the State in employment legislation and we hope it will improve and upgrade the right to work for citizens and residents and ensure the rights employees and employers

The National Human Rights Committee represented in Dr. Ali Al Marri, participated in the 26th  meeting of the Human Rights Council for discussing the report of Mr. Francois Crépeau, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, after his visit to the State of Qatar in November 2013 to assess the situation of workers.
Dr. Al Marri gave a speech on the growing role of national human rights institutions in cooperation with international mechanisms and extended thanks and appreciation to Mr. François Crépeau for the report, praising the role of the National Human Rights Committee, in particular the recommendations urging the government to provide more support to the Committee and consider its recommendations which in turn will increases the credibility of the Committee and stresses the importance of its role.
Dr. Al Marri emphasized that these recommendations are highly appreciated and will be followed up on through cooperation underway between the NHRC and the Qatari government represented in ministries of labor and interior and the United Nations Centre for Training and documentation.
Dr. Al Marri added that “The report came up with important recommendations, relating to legislation, practice, and the development of many proposals on several levels, including abolition of the sponsorship system, and the effective application of existing laws. It also proposed cooperation between the governments of labor-sending and receiving countries to prevent deception over terms and conditions of contracts and labor exploitation during the process of recruitment in the labor-sending countries, in addition to determining the responsibility of the private sector in respecting international human rights standards, and dissemination of clear and transparent information about companies.”
Dr. Al Marri introduced some of the developments that followed the Special Rapporteur’s visit to Qatar, which are considered to be very important in building business relationships and establishing mechanisms to solve most of the issues raised in the report of the Rapporteur. He added “these developments and other developments getting underway, reflect the serious intention of the government to improve working conditions, in line with the recommendations of the National Human Rights Committee, as well as other recommendations included in the reports of treaty bodies and special rapporteurs, including the recent report submitted by Mr. Francois, that we hope to be applied in practice to further improve and upgrade the right to work for citizens and residents and ensure the rights of all parties (employees and employers).”
Mr. Francois Crépeau praised the efforts of major companies in Qatar in protecting the rights of workers and developing standards for the welfare of workers and protect their rights. He added that Qatar has the highest ratio of migrants to citizens in the world, which is a unique challenge. He also praised the efforts of Qatar’s government for its unlimited cooperation with national, regional and international human rights mechanisms, extending open invitations to all United Nations rapporteurs since 2010.
A meeting shall be held on the sidelines of the 26th meeting of the Human Rights Council between Dr. Ali Al-Marri and Mr. Crépeau to discuss ways to deepen cooperation between both sides.

The NHRC, represented by the NHRC chairman Dr. Ali Al Marri, participated in the nineteenth session of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group held in Geneva; where the Human Rights Council commended efforts exerted by the State of Qatar in the field of human rights protection and development in the field of economic and social rights. The UPR report also revealed real developments carried out by the State of Qatar in connection with its commitment to the application of the recommendations made by the UPR in 2010, especially in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities and the rights of the child.

The NHRC referred in the shadow report to the State of Qatar endeavors for further legislative developments in the field of human rights pointing out that the package of growing economic and social developments, including issuing health and education laws, and social health insurance law, in addition to drafting important legislations that will be issued in the near future, such as the election and media law and domestic workers law.

Rights of women was also referred to in the report; this issue is one of the most important issue listed in the agenda of the NHRC. The report pointed out that most critical obstacles facing women are the belief that the advancement of women is the responsibility of government agencies only, absence of NGOs concerned with women’s affairs, it also indicated that legislative development in this regard requires integrating official efforts and civil society organizations.
The Committee made several recommendations including the need to achieve equality between men and women in connection with granting citizenship to children of Qatari women married to foreigners, reviewing family legislation, drafting a law for the protection from family violence, the need for issuing a law regulating the rights of domestic workers, improving housing conditions for workers, finding an alternative system to the sponsorship system that ensures rights of both parties (employers – employees), paying better wages for workers, reconsidering some reservations on CEDAW, the need to create and establish a women’s associations, expanding the representation of women in decision-making places, especially parliamentary involvement, and urging the government on the importance of ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The report concluded in reviewing the Stat’s obligations to implement recommendations of the UPR including those accepted by the state, other recommendations announced as implemented or those in the process of implementation.

It is noteworthy that the participation of the NHRC in the UPR mechanism is one of the most important missions of the NHRC where the review is based on objective reliable information relating to the fulfillment of obligations and commitments in the field of human rights.

Website of the National Human Rights Committee won the Golden Award under International Organization Category in the 11th Pan Arab Excellence Awards Competition.
Out of a large number of nominations and registrations, 325 entries have been shortlisted. Afterwards, a group of jury has evaluated these websites based on selected criteria in which winners were chosen and communicated respectively for approval for ONE entitled award, where grading has been applied according to specified criteria standards.
A Prestigious Ceremony has been held in Dubai , United Arab Emirates and attended by Ambassadors, winners of the competition in addition to VIPs from the ICT field, governmental personalities as well as Economists, Academics, Diplomats, Bankers, Media and Press and other Guests from the Arab Region.
Ms. Maryam Al-Attiyah stated that this award acts as an incentive to improve the technical work of the committee in terms of developing electronic media and means of social communication in the process of spreading the culture of human rights. She added that websites and social networking media become reliable sources of news; and confirmed that the committee will work hard to make use of all the available means in order to achieve its humanitarian mission and objectives relating to full realization of human dignity and pride.

Mr. Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, head of Public Relations and Media unit at the National Human Rights Committee stated that the NHRC website achieved one of the conditions for the establishment of the Committee, that is transparency in which the NHRC field studies and annual reports are published in addition to the NHRC news with accuracy and credibility.
Al-Mahmoud referred in his speech to the establishment of the NHRC by Decree Law No. (38) for the year 2002 is the guarantee to save the real human rights and its reorganization by Decree Law No. (17) for the year 2010 in which it has been granted full independence.
Al-Mahmoud also added that the NHRC was accredited status (A) by the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of national human rights institutions, in which Dr. Ali Al Marri chairs the Sub-committee on Accreditation of international Coordinating Committee which is concerned with classification and accreditation of national institutions, he also referred to objectives of the NHRC.
It is worth mentioning that Pan Arab Web Awards is an encouragement for all sectors to showcase their websites and be more involved in the IT. Through Pan Arab Web Awards, participants have the opportunity to widen contacts and networks, foster co-operation, enhance knowledge, build capabilities and exchange information, it is a platform for creative people to showcase their works and attain market recognition.

Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee met on Tuesday with Dr. Nabil Al-Arabi, the chairman of the Permanent Arab Committee on Human Rights of the Arab League at the Arab league’s headquarters in Cairo.

The meeting discussed means of developing mechanisms of joint Arab work in order to enhance and spread the culture of human rights and exchange expertise and experiences among human rights organizations.