The Chairperson of Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah recently attended a regional dialogue forum on “human rights: promoting equality and combating discrimination in the context of migration”. She highlighted the significance of the forum in addressing the issues of discrimination and racism faced by expatriates in the Gulf region. The working papers presented at the forum focused on various aspects including integration of expatriates in society, sports, human rights mechanisms in sports, shared interests, and combating racism in sports. The forum also discussed policies, regulations, media’s role in addressing racism, successful experiences, and best practices in combating racism in sports.
In addition, the forum emphasized on raising awareness and education about combating racism in the sports community, supporting athletes facing racism, and engaging fans in combating racism in sports. The importance of promoting diversity and inclusiveness in sport governance bodies, leveraging social media platforms, defining appropriate punishments for racial acts, and optimizing data collection for tracking racism cases were also discussed. The event highlighted programs to encourage children and young people to participate in sports, the role of sponsor companies in anti-racism efforts, and utilizing international experiences to strengthen anti-racism initiatives locally.
During the forum, Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah met with Chairperson of National Human Rights Institution in the United Arab Emirates, H E Maqsoud Kruse, and Member of the Human Rights Commission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H E Dr. Amal Al Habdan, to discuss cooperation, joint activities at national and regional levels, and sharing expertise in promoting and protecting human rights. The two-day forum, organized by NHRC in collaboration with the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) and the United Nations (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), concluded with a recommendation to continuously work towards promoting human rights awareness, equality, and denouncing racial discrimination.
In conclusion, the regional dialogue forum on human rights led by Chairperson Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah highlighted the importance of addressing discrimination and racism in the Gulf region. The working papers and discussions presented at the forum focused on various aspects including integration of expatriates, combating racism in sports, promoting diversity and inclusiveness, and leveraging social media in anti-racism efforts. The forum emphasized on raising awareness and education about combating racism in sports, supporting athletes facing racism, and engaging fans in the fight against racism. The event also stressed on the role of sponsor companies, international experiences, and cooperation at national and regional levels to strengthen anti-racism initiatives.
