NHRC, MATAR sign agreement on rights promotion

Doha: The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and MATAR, the Qatar Airports Management and Operation Company, have signed an expanded cooperation 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 Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah and MATAR Chief Operations Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer. 

The areas of cooperation between the two parties include spreading the culture of human rights, promoting public awareness of human right principles and standards at Hamad International Airport (HIA), supporting capacity building, sharing expertise in the field of human rights, planning and implementing joint programmes and projects in the area of human rights promotion and protection, and organizing conferences and training workshops and courses on relevant issues of common interest. 

The cooperation agreement stipulates the allocation of an office for the NHRC at HIA. 

Al Attiyah said: “We consider this cooperation agreement to be 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 cooperation 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 Human Rights Day. It again hosted the same exhibition and another human right exhibition when Qatar was named as the capital of Islamic culture. We also organized training sessions for HIA senior staff on the Qatari Human Rights Day 2021. The new agreement formalizes this cooperation to serve as part of the two organizations’ annual strategies.”

Engr. Al Meer said: “We are pleased to expand our partnership with the National Human Rights Committee. As a global traveling 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.”