Forum of human rights institutions begins today

MUSCAT The Second Gulf Forum of National Human Rights Institutions to discuss the role of national institutions in promotion and protection of rights in the region begins here on Sunday.

The forum aims to highlight the role of national institutions in promoting and strengthening the culture of human rights, and seeks to achieve its objectives, according to HE Mohammad Abdullah Al Riyami, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), at a press conference.

He said the forum would focus on strengthening the relations between the national institutions of human rights in the GCC states, civil society organisations and regional and international organisations.

The forum would provide ample opportunity for sharing experiences in relation to dissemination and promotion of human rights principles in the Sultanate and other Gulf countries in the light of global changes, he said.

A discussion on the means to develop systems and mechanisms of formation of national institutions for human rights in the Gulf countries according to the international norms and standards will be held, he added.

Among the organisations which are participating in the two-day forum are national human rights commissions of the Gulf and other Arab countries including Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, and Tunisia and National Human Rights Commission of India.

Among the other prominent international organisations which will participate in the forum are the General Secretariat of the GCC, United Nation’s Human Rights Commission, the Geneva Institute for Human Rights, United Nations Centre for Training and Documentation in the field of Human Rights in Qatar.


(2012-03-11/omantribune)