NHRC, Matar sign agreement to promote human rights

The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and Matar, the Qatar Airports Management and Operation Company, have signed an expanded co-operation agreement under which the two parties will use their capabilities and expertise to promote and protect human rights within their respective powers.

The agreement was signed by NHRC chairperson HE Maryam bint Abdullah al-Attiyah and Matar chief operations officer Badr Mohamed al-Meer. The areas of co-operation between the two parties include spreading the culture of human rights, promoting public awareness of human right principles and standards at HIA, supporting capacity building, sharing expertise in the field of human rights, planning and implementing joint programs and projects in the area of human right promotion and protection, and organising conferences and training workshops and courses on relevant issues of common interest. The co-operation agreement stipulates the allocation of an office for the NHRC at HIA. HE Maryam bint Abdullah al-Attiyah said: “We consider this as a major agreement signed by the committee on a national level. Airports are important international entry points that receive people from different cultures. It was therefore necessary to sign this agreement, an important part of which is to set up an NHRC office at Hamad International Airport reflecting our commitment to human rights at the airport. “The office will promote the human rights culture among arriving and departing passengers as well as among HIA staff. The agreement is a first-of-its kind initiative under which a term of reference on human right issues is established at HIA, Qatar’s main entry point and one of the world’s largest airports.”Praising Matar’s co-operation with NHRC, al-Attiyah added, “The agreement was the culmination of joint action with the company. We previously cooperated to promote the culture of human rights among HIA audience. In 2019, the airport hosted the NHRC’s exhibition on human rights in Islamic culture on the occasion of the Human Rights Day. “It again hosted the same exhibition and another human rights exhibition when Qatar was named as the capital of Islamic culture. We also organised training sessions for HIA senior staff on the Qatari Human Rights Day 2021. The new agreement formalises this cooperation to serve as part of the two organisations’ annual strategies.”Al-Meer said: “We are pleased to expand our partnership with the National Human Rights Committee. As a global travelling hub for millions of passengers annually, it is our responsibility to cultivate a safe space for our travellers and staff — as we continue to lead this industry by example. “The protection of human rights is a key pillar at HIA, where we strive to spread the culture of human rights and highlight its emphasis on humanitarian principles across all HIA and Matar operations.”Matar manages and operates HIA, which serves millions of passengers annually and employs thousands of people. The agreement is in line with the legal nature of the NHRC as a national institution working based on the Paris Principles and aiming to enhance and protect human rights in Qatar pursuant to Decree-Law number (17) of 2010. NHRC’s competences and missions include promoting awareness of human rights and freedoms, consolidating human right principles, monitoring the human rights situation in Qatar, and addressing any practices that conflict with the principles of the organisation’s establishment. The two parties will also organise awareness and art exhibitions at the award-winning airport. Matar and NHRC will have joint activities with human right bodies and international and regional organisations as relevant to HIA, train HIA employees on human right issues, and carry out any other activities of common interest that they may agree upon in the future.