Abu Dhabi — The Shadow Report for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) submitted for the 43rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council was unveiled at a high-level panel discussion on human rights in the UAE on Tuesday in Geneva by experts and specialists from Thirteen international human rights groups with advisory capacity with the UN.
International legal experts attended the session via Zoom, where representatives from the participating organizations engaged in creating the report.
A wide range of important government departments, national human rights groups, and international organizations were represented at the session, along with experts and specialists in the field of human rights, particularly the universal periodic review mechanism.
This year, the discussion will also include a number of media professionals specialized in media and human rights issues, and a group of academics and representatives of centers studies, research, thought and opinion.
The experts on the panel have years of experience and come from numerous reputable international organizations. Leaders of international human rights groups having consultative status at the UN are among the international experts who will be participating in the discussion.
Ayman Nasry of the Arab European Forum for Dialogue and Human Rights and Dr. Cristine Mirre of CAP Conscience et Liberté introduced the universal periodic review mechanism, the contributions of non-governmental organizations to it, and the significance of the report in promoting the universal periodic review of the state in the 43rd session.
The European Association for the Protection of Minorities’ Dr. Manel Msalmi will emphasize the UAE’s efforts and accomplishments in the area of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights. Several speakers from well-known international organizations will also stress the value of human rights and the efforts made by the UAE in this area.
Mahmoud Bassiouni, a member of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights, participated in a debate during the session that focused on how the media is used to impede progress made in the area of human rights. An open conversation about the significance of the media marked the session’s conclusion.
As part of the forty-third periodic assessment, the UAE’s human rights report will be considered at meetings of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in May.
The panel discussion offered a special chance to comprehend the UAE’s accomplishments in upholding its human rights duties, which are frequently questioned in the 24-hour, international media cycle. Through meaningful talks led by subject-matter experts with evidence-based analysis, participants had the opportunity to comprehend the concerns, challenges, and advancements in the UAE.
