Oman hailed for its human rights record

Muscat: Human rights in Oman and the United States was the topic of a presentation made by US Embassy political officer Christine Harper at The American Corner, Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS), on the occasion of International Human Rights Day last week.

MCBS, in cooperation with the United States Embassy in Muscat, invited students and faculty to hear the history of International Human Rights Day and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and to discuss current human rights issues.

The event highlighted the fact that human rights belong equally to each one of us and bind us together as a global community with universal ideals and values. During the session, Harper also highlighted the role of media and civil society in supporting human rights around the globe by spreading public awareness.

“Oman plays an important role in the international human rights community by protecting human rights in the Sultanate and actively participating in international human rights bodies such as the UN Human Rights Committee,” Harper said.

“Together with partners around the world, Oman and the United States embrace the fundamental ideals of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which states that ‘recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world,’’ she added.

Celebrated around the world, the United Nations’ International Human Rights Day is annually observed on December 10 to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948.

In the Sultanate of Oman, under the 1996 Basic Law, the government has provided all human rights to its citizens. The law and judiciary, including the establishment of a human rights commission, provides means of addressing individual instances of abuse. Regular human rights measures are taken by the government, including inspections of prisons and detention centers.


(2011-12-17/Oman Time)