The Standing Human Rights Committee organizes a symposium on "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights"

Abu Dhabi, February 25 / WAM / The Permanent Committee for Human Rights in the UAE, in cooperation with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, organized an intellectual contribution from the British Institute for International and Comparative Law, a general event on the past, present and future for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The event was held today at the Academy headquarters, the first in a series of 6 events to be held between February and June 2025.

This series comes as a continuation of the success achieved by the first round of 7 discussions held during the year 2024, which witnessed the presence of more than 700 participants from various sectors, and more than 20 academic speakers, policy makers, civil society representatives and human rights defenders.

During the discussion session, speakers dealt with the unique history and the special status of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the document that was formulated and adopted in 1948 after the first and second world wars.

They discussed how to balance global principles and respect cultural and ideological diversity while drafting the document.

Discussions also touched on the world of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the conditions of the human rights system at the present time, and the extent of its commitment to the aspirations and goals that were built upon when it was established.

The speakers pointed out that the document was formulated by an international committee, and prominent figures from all over the world participated in formulating it.

The open discussion that followed the session witnessed many questions about the basic principles of the document, and the importance of diversity in the characters that contributed to its formulation.

Ambassador Dr. Ibrahim Salama, the former director of the branch of human rights treaties at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, spoke about how historical considerations highlight the contemporary challenges facing the complex human rights system, stressing the need to enhance coordination and break the barriers to achieve more cohesion In this field.

Among the most prominent points discussed is the refutation of the idea that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a standard framework that only reflects Western concepts.

Dr. Victorian Stewart-Julie, chief researcher at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, confirmed that many of the basic contributions that were merged into the advertisement came from prominent personalities.

For his part, Dr. Kellichi Akopuzi, the first technical advisor to the Executive Secretary of the Human Rights Committee in Nigeria, presented an important view of the absence of the African voice at that time, pointing to how the continent sees the Universal Declaration of Human Rights today.

The Permanent Committee for Human Rights in the UAE is the official national mechanism to coordinate efforts between the ministries and bodies concerned with human rights in the country, and it is charged with continuing to enhance human rights in line with the recognized international standards.

The committee, which was previously known as the National Human Rights Committee, was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers in October 2019.

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