Geneva, March 17 (QNA) – HE Chairperson of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, met Monday with HE the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on the margins of the GANHRI annual conference currently convened in Geneva, entitled: “The Role of National Human Rights Institutions — or NHRIs — in Promoting Gender Equality and Advancing the Human Rights of All Women and Girls.
“Addressing the conference, Her Excellency underscored GANHRI’s commitment to playing its pivotal role in protecting international law and supporting NHRIs at national, regional, and global levels.
She highlighted the complexities of the current global scene and the formidable challenges they impose on the UN operation, stating that such challenges emerge amid severe financial crises that have resulted in reducing budgets and closing numerous programs, which directly impacted efforts to protect human rights on the ground.
Given these unprecedented challenges, the need to foster partnerships and effective collaboration is mounting, Her Excellency pointed out, voicing her concern over the impact of the current financial crisis on the ability of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to proceed with providing support to GANHRI and NHRIs, whether through technical support, supporting the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA), or the meetings and established programs.
The GANHRI’s SCA performs a fundamental role in enhancing the independence of NHRIs and ensuring their capability of efficiently discharging their duties, HE Al Attiyah underlined, emphasizing the importance of OHCHR’s unwavering support to the SCA, alongside the support provided by GANHRI, its regional networks, and national institutions, which would have a direct impact on protecting human rights at the national level.
Her Excellency listened to the OHCHR’s vision, along with the strategies the UN pursues in dealing with crises and ensuring the endurance of human rights work, affirming that she looks forward to boosting cooperation between OHCHR and GANHRI to protect human rights and bolster the NHRIs’ role in a variety of contexts.