Doha, 13 May 2025 — The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) has concluded a four-month training program for male and female students of Qatar University, held as part of its annual awareness campaign targeting university and school students as well as civil and military institutions. This year’s campaign was launched under the theme “Towards a Society Aware of Its Rights.”
At the closing ceremony, Mr. Hamad Salem Al Hajri, Director of the Programs and Education Department at the NHRC, emphasized the Committee’s commitment to strengthening engagement and cooperation with public institutions, stakeholders, and especially young people. He highlighted that empowering youth and building their capacities in the field of human rights remains a key priority, alongside providing platforms for them to express their ideas and perspectives.
He noted that this approach aligns with the Paris Principles, the NHRC’s broad legal mandate, the provisions of Qatar’s Permanent Constitution, Qatar National Vision 2030, and the State’s international and regional treaty obligations.
Al Hajri reaffirmed the NHRC’s dedication to developing its partnerships with Qatar University and other academic institutions, aiming to promote a stronger culture of human rights at the national, regional, and international levels.
Addressing the participants, he encouraged them to serve as ambassadors of human rights, urging them to actively engage in rights-based initiatives and contribute to strengthening Qatar’s leading regional and international standing through meaningful participation in community, humanitarian, and development activities.
He also noted that discussions held throughout the four-month program reflected a strong level of human rights awareness among students. He expressed confidence in their ability to translate this knowledge into practical application in both their personal and professional lives.
The training program included theoretical lectures, practical activities, and field training across various departments of the NHRC. It aimed to introduce students to the foundations and principles of human rights, their historical development, and practical application within a working institutional environment.
The program also enhanced participants’ understanding of the NHRC’s role, mandate, and mechanisms at the national and international levels, as well as the global human rights protection system, including reporting and monitoring mechanisms.
In addition, it focused on international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, highlighting how these instruments translate principles into binding legal obligations.
The curriculum also covered key international conventions, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention Against Torture, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Furthermore, the program addressed the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), reporting procedures, the role of treaty bodies, and the preparation of cooperation memoranda with national, regional, and international entities. It also provided an overview of the establishment of national human rights institutions, the Paris Principles, and the role of the NHRC in promoting and protecting human rights in the State of Qatar.