NHRC Chairperson Calls for Specialized Units to Tackle Emerging Human Rights Challenges

Maryam Al-Attiyah: “New challenges are complex and demand innovative solutions”

Amman, October 22, 2025 – Her Excellency Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), has emphasized the urgent need to establish specialized units within national human rights institutions (NHRIs) to monitor and address emerging human rights challenges. She also called for the development of efficient complaint mechanisms to strengthen institutional responsiveness and readiness to deal with new types of violations.

Speaking at a consultative meeting held in Amman, Jordan, titled “Training for National Human Rights Institutions in the Arab Region to Confront Emerging Challenges”, Al-Attiyah highlighted that new global threats — from technological risks to climate change and business responsibilities — require modern frameworks and innovative solutions.

The three-day meeting (October 21–23) was organized by the NHRC in partnership with the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (based in Doha), the National Center for Human Rights in Jordan, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Al-Attiyah underlined Qatar’s continued commitment to addressing emerging human rights challenges, stressing that “despite the significant progress achieved, new challenges are highly serious and have far-reaching negative impacts on human rights around the world.”

She urged for swift modernization of legislative and regulatory frameworks and for enhanced international cooperation, including the exchange of best practices and expertise. She further emphasized that addressing these issues requires inclusive participation from civil society, rights-holders, and those most affected, ensuring equality and a collective commitment to “leave no one behind.”

Reaffirming the NHRC’s dedication to collaborative action, Al-Attiyah said, “I am confident in our ability to manage these concerns efficiently and turn them into opportunities for a brighter and safer future for coming generations.”

In his remarks, H E Sultan bin Hassan Al-Jamali, Secretary-General of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions, said that rapid digital transformation presents both opportunities and risks. While it enhances monitoring, documentation, and accountability, it also raises challenges such as privacy violations, surveillance concerns, and digital inequalities.

He also pointed to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution — which collectively threaten livelihoods and deepen inequality. “National human rights institutions are not merely monitoring bodies,” Al-Jamali said, “but central actors in shaping public policies and ensuring that no one is left behind.”

Meanwhile, H E Khaldoun Al-Nsour, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Center for Human Rights, stressed that regional cooperation and knowledge exchange are essential to building institutions capable of keeping pace with rapid global changes.

He described the Amman meeting as a “mutual learning platform” that allows institutions to exchange experiences, explore innovative tools, and strengthen their capacity to protect rights and freedoms in an evolving world.