The first “Dialogue on Business and Human Rights in Arab Region” is launched by the NHRC

Qatar’s Doha : Yesterday marked the start of the first-ever debate on “Business and Human Rights in the Arab Region” with the theme “Charting the Course for Responsible Business Practices in the Arab Region.”

The purpose of the two-day event is to increase public knowledge of the obligations placed on businesses and governments under the UN Guiding Principles on Businesses and Human Rights (UNGPs).

In collaboration with the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI), the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWG), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) is organizing the dialogue.

Speaking at the opening session, H E Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, the chairperson of the NHRC and the chairperson of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), stated that this first dialogue is a crucial step in making sure the Arab world doesn’t lag behind the rest of the world in putting the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights into practice.

According to her, these principles also highlight how important it is for governments to defend human rights, businesses to uphold those rights, and victims to have access to efficient redress.

Al Attiyah stated that while economic revolutions are fast, there are urgent worries about the effects of corporate operations on the environment, society, and human rights. “Arab countries have enormous opportunities and unique and significant challenges,” he remarked.

She stated that we must increase our collective action and resolve to defend the rights of migrant workers, women, and other vulnerable groups who frequently suffer the most from careless business practices. “National human rights institutions are at the forefront of promoting and protecting human rights in the context of business activities, thanks to their distinctive and potent mandate,” Al Attiyah stated.

This is in addition to their function as communication channels between governments, corporations, civil society, and impacted communities, she said, which helps to promote dialogue, improve accountability, and lay the groundwork for a business strategy based on human rights.

“By giving States and corporations guidance, helping to create laws, policies, and practices that are in line with international human rights standards, monitoring, tracking, and investigating the human rights impacts of business activities, and holding States and companies accountable for human rights abuses, it also plays a key role in ensuring that the UN Guiding Principles are effectively implemented and translated into concrete realities on the ground,” Al Attiyah said.

Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali, the secretary-general of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions, emphasized the value of communication, pointing out that it sets everyone on the path to defending human rights in Arab business.

According to him, the goal of the discussion is to create a plan for more ethical business practices in the Arab world.

“The dialogue focuses on the Arab world, and there are challenges, especially since some companies have businesses that may not benefit certain groups,” stated Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari, vice-chairperson of the NHRC.

“We want to broaden the circle of benefit by encouraging entrepreneurs to take on more innovative projects that impact people’s livelihoods and by providing a forum for businesses and human rights to discuss the challenges and barriers, which we work through the dialogue to find solutions for,” he continued.