Secretary-General of ANNHRI Affirms International System’s Inability to Halt Aggression on Gaza

Doha: HE Secretary-General of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI) Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali said the international human rights system has been unable to stop the unceasing aggression of the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip since October. Al Jamal called for exploring effective mechanisms to halt the violations and held the perpetrators to account, pointing out that there has been a denial of the international human rights legitimacy during the past six months pertaining to the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, along with the inability of the international human rights system to counter the violations and crimes perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces in Palestine, including the genocide in the Gaza Strip. This came in His Excellency's remarks before the first phase of the inaugural session of 'Anabtawi 34' held virtually under the theme of future of human rights for universal justice. The second phase of the session is poised to be held in person in collaboration with t he Doha-based ANNHRI and the Tunisia-based Arab Institute for Human Rights (AIHR). HE Secretary-General of ANNHRI underscored the importance of implementing the 16 goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 as the key towards executing all SDGs, indicating that the 16 goal addresses peace, justice, and strong institutions. Also, the goal aims to promote societies that respect and uphold individual rights, as well as the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. Through urging the states to pursue governance and transparent flow of information, those countries will be able to implement the SDGs to be powerful and enabled countries so as to bolster their independence and sovereignty of decision, as well as interaction with the International Bill of Human Rights and its system, HE Al Jamali pointed out. Al Jamali added that throughout the past years and within the implementation of the shared memora ndum of understanding with AIHR, ANNHRI has been engaging the AIHR in organizing the Anabtawi session in recognition of the major contribution the session affords in honing the capabilities of human rights activists in the Arab region. For the sake of attaining the intended accomplishments through protecting and promoting human rights in the Arab region and the entire world, it behooves all nations to uphold patience, perseverance, and cooperation among them and with the human rights defenders all over the world. The 'Anabtawi 34' intends to broaden the knowledge of male and female actors with the civil society human rights and development organizations, as well as national human rights institutions (NHRIs) to bolster their capabilities in countering the contemporary challenges facing human rights, justice, and sustainable development by critically analyzing current variables, relevant legislation, agreements, and international mechanisms. This is in addition to shifting the attention to opportunities and challenges related to social, economic and environmental justice and striving to enhance the ability to think critically and innovate, in addition to developing effective work strategies to achieve change and enhance justice in the Arab region so as to create a clear and strong vision that expresses the Arab regions contribution to global discussions about the future of human rights and justice. Source: Qatar News Agency