GENEVA: Minister of Social Development and Family HE Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad has affirmed Qatar's keenness on continuous cooperation with international partners to enhance the protection of the rights of women and children in conflict situations, and to ensure their effective participation in rebuilding societies after these conflicts.
This came in the speech of the Minister of Social Development and Family, who represented Qatar, at the high-level side event held under the title 'Promoting and Protecting the Human Rights of Women and Children in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations', within the work of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in Geneva.
In her speech, the Minister of Social Development and Family underscored the importance of this event, which seeks to mobilize efforts for joint action to promote and protect the human rights of women and children in conflict and post-conflict situations.The Minister of Social Development and Family drew attention to the urgent humanitarian challenges facing the world today, and in this regard touched on the painful reality experienced by families in conflict zones, noting that thousands of children, women, the elderly and people with disabilities have lost their basic rights to security, dignity and peace.
She pointed to Qatar's role and its keenness to follow the approach of preventive diplomacy and effective multilateral dialogue, noting the State's great efforts to reunite families from Ukraine to ensure that children are reunited with their families and protected, and has taken all appropriate measures to avoid the dispersion of families and to restore family contacts by providing information and facilitating efforts to search for missing persons.
In this context, the Minister of Social Development and Family called on the international community to shoulder its humanitarian responsibilities and work to build a future of lasting peace and justice.
In the context of her speech, the Minster pointed to the importance of the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, stressing that the family is the cornerstone in building stable and prosperous societies and that it is necessary to protect families from the factors of disintegration surrounding them.
She affirmed the commitment of Qatar and other countries to the joint pledge entitled 'Human Rights 75 .. Family Pledge' presented last year, which enhances support and protection for the family as the true and permanent wealth of nations.
Al Misnad noted the pioneering role of Qatar in enhancing family stability and protecting it from threats, whether those resulting from conflicts, the effects of modern technology or social and economic transformations and stressed the state's commitment to continuing its approach that places the family at the heart of development and humanitarian efforts, in accordance with Qatar National Vision 2030.
With regard to the serious repercussions of crises on certain groups of societies, she pointed out that women and children suffer the most during armed conflicts, as they bear the brunt of serious violations that include killing, maiming, kidnapping and sexual violence, in addition to recruitment into the armed forces.
The Minister added that the destruction of infrastructure and the spread of mines and unexploded ordnance further complicate the situation, which necessitates the need to end impunity and prosecute those responsible for these crimes.Al Misnad also referred to the passage of more than two decades since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 of 2000 on women, peace and security, expressing her regret over the low participation of women in peace processes despite the international efforts made.
In this context, she stressed the State of Qatar's commitment to enhancing the role of women in preventing and resolving conflicts, referring to the initiatives launched by the State in conflict zones, such as the "Women in Conflict Zones" initiative launched by Qatar in September 2022, which calls for providing greater protection for women and their involvement in all aspects of peacebuilding processes.
In a related context, Al Misnad warned that any effort to resolve conflicts and address their root causes will not be successful unless all affected parties, especially women, participate.
She said women are actors, but unfortunately they are often seen as victims. Our mission is then to enable them to play their roles in making, building and maintaining peace and security. At the end of her speech, HE the Minister called on the international community to unite efforts and work in a spirit of cooperation to build a peaceful future, with a focus on protecting vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, especially in conflict areas.
On the sidelines of the 57th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Al Misnad met with Minister of Social Solidarity in the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr Maya Morsi.
During the meeting, they discussed opportunities for joint cooperation between the two brotherly countries in the fields of social affairs and family, and ways to enhance and develop them, in addition to joint international initiatives, especially with regard to enhancing the roles of persons with disabilities and women, and other topics of common interest.
The Minister of Social Development and Family also discussed with Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif, the cooperation relations between Qatar and the Commission in the field of developing and improving services provided to persons with disabilities and ways to enhance them through means of technical, skill and economic empowerment.
In this context, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed her appreciation and support for the efforts of Qatar to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and support their development roles, in addition to the efforts and initiatives of the State of Qatar in the field of protecting women in conflict areas and enhancing their participation in all aspects of life.
In a related context, Al Misnad participated on the sidelines of the event in the opening of an accompanying exhibition on the State of Qatar's journey in promoting human rights and protecting and respecting the family at the national, regional and international levels.
The exhibition highlights the roles of the Ministry of Social Development and Family, which focuses in its various efforts and initiatives on empowering different groups in society, including children, youth, women, the elderly and people with disabilities.
