KHALEEJ TIMES, Wednesday, Apr 21, 2021 | Ramadan 9, 1442
FNC approves draft law to establish national human rights commission
Emirates:
Members of the Federal National Council (FNC) have passed a federal
draft law establishing a national human rights commission in the UAE.
The commission aims to promote and protect human rights and freedom in
accordance with the provisions of the UAE constitution, laws and legislation in
force and the relevant international charters, covenants and agreements.
According to the draft law which was passed in the FNC meeting on Tuesday
evening, an independent body called the ‘National Commission for Human Rights’
shall be established to work to strengthen the position of the UAE in regional
and international forums in the field of human rights, and to enhance the UAE's
communication with individuals and regional and international institutions
concerned with human rights.
In order to achieve its goals, the commission will coordinate with competent
authorities in developing a national action plan to promote and protect human
rights in the country and suggest a mechanism for its implementation. It will
work to spread the culture of human rights in the UAE and educate members of the
society about it, submit proposals and recommendations and give advice to
various authorities in everything that would promote and protect human rights.
The commission will also follow up on the suitability of legislation and laws to
international charters, covenants and conventions on human rights to which the
state is a party and follow-up thereof, and to contribute to the promotion and
protection of human rights in the country.
The human rights commission will work on promoting equality and the elimination
of all forms of racial discrimination.
Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State said the the establishment of the
commission is a milestone for the country in the human rights records. “The
commission will help in the application of international standards, and will
push the country to achieve advanced ranks in the global competitiveness record,
which is the government’s goal in raising the reputation and stature of the UAE,”
he said.
Al Marar stressed the government's keenness to develop and strengthen its
legislative and normative system in the field of human rights, and to continue
its efforts towards empowering women, and promoting the rights of children,
senior citizens, people of determination, and labour rights.
“The National Commission for Human Rights will strengthen the role of national
mechanisms concerned with the protection of human rights,” he said adding that
establishing the commission aims at completing and strengthening the system of
existing national mechanisms in a way that contributes to strengthening the
legal and organizational structure for the protection of human rights.
According to the Minister, the resolutions of relevant international charters on
human rights grant any country the right to choose the framework that suits its
special needs at the national level, when establishing their commission.
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