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UAE a pioneer and partner in decision-making on global human rights: Experts

Country is global model for equality and an exemplary model of interfaith dialogue and coexistence

A number of international experts on human rights reiterated that the UAE is a pioneer in human rights and has become a prominent partner in advancing the human rights worldwide.

The experts noted that the UAE is also a partner in decision-making on global human rights, especially with its winning of membership in the UN Human Rights Council three times, most recently for the 2022-2024 term, as well as its continuous cooperation with relevant international organisations and parties.

During a high-level seminar held yesterday evening via video conferencing from Geneva, the experts said that the UAE is a prominent global model for equality and an exemplary model of interfaith dialogue and coexistence, and its achievements in human rights began since its founding more than fifty years ago.

The seminar was held on the occasion of the launch of the shadow report on human rights in the UAE, in preparation for reviewing the official report that the UAE will officially submit to the UN Human Rights Council next May.

The attendees referred to the UAE's prominent role in global humanitarian work, especially its immediate response to the repercussions of the earthquake that struck Türkey and Syria recently, along with its humanitarian efforts in many other countries, such as Yemen.

In the seminar, the experts touched upon the UAE's outstanding achievements in supporting basic rights such as individual freedoms, ensuring equality and equal opportunities between genders, the rights of children, the elderly, and People of Determination, as well as labour rights, combating human trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, among others.

Ayman Nasri, Head of the Arab-European Forum for Dialogue and Human Rights, an entity with an advisory capacity at the UN, stressed that the UAE's record in human rights has received wide praise from the international community for its exceptional achievements.

He said that the UAE, with its three-time membership in the UN Human Rights Council, has become a key partner in international human rights decision-making.

Eric Gozlan, Co-Director of International Council for Diplomacy and Dialogue, spoke about the UAE's leadership in human rights issues, stressing that the wise leadership in the country took a courageous decision to sign the Abraham Accords with the Israel and is moving forward towards consolidating bilateral relations with Israel in various areas.

He emphasised that the UAE is also a global beacon of tolerance and coexistence, and it hosted the historic fraternal meeting between Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, and Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. The country also recently inaugurated the Abrahamic Family House, a complex comprising a mosque, church and synagogue in Abu Dhabi and will be an interreligious space to spread tolerance and peace.

He stressed the UAE has proven that tolerance and peace are linked and go hand in hand, and today it is a pioneer in tolerance and peace, giving a unique example to the world. This UAE example proves that there is no tolerance without peace, and there is no peace without tolerance, Gozlan added.

Human rights expert Dr. Manal Masalmi tackled the UAE's efforts in women empowerment, stressing that the UAE has succeeded in integrating women into society in a distinctive way, and that the country has an innovative strategy to enhance the role of the family and its empowerment.

For his part, Dr. Abdul-Jabbar Al-Tayeb, President of the Bahraini Jurists Association, said that the issue of human rights is linked to many areas, including climate and digitalisation, which we previously believed were far from human rights.

For his part, Advisor Issa Rashid Al Arabi, President of the Arab Federation for Human Rights (AFHR), confirmed that the UAE, since its inception, has had a remarkable march in human rights.

The shadow report is the report prepared by non-governmental bodies in response to the official report submitted by each member state of the Council periodically, with a frequency of once every four years, to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Before presenting the official report, in which each country talks about its human rights record, the official authorities wishing to do so present their report on the development of the human rights situation, in what is known as the shadow report. It is a parallel report of the official report from the relevant countries.

More than 13 Arab, European and international human rights organisations and 17 experts from around the world participated in the preparation of this report, which is closer to independent reading of the official paper that the UAE will present soon.