The Shura Council State of Qatar

The General Secretariat of the Shura Council organized a dialogue session today on the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism, as part of the Shura Council’s celebration of this international occasion, which is observed on 30 June each year. The session was attended by His Excellency Mr. Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, Speaker of the Shura Council, a number of Their Excellencies members of the Council, and His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Council.

Held under the theme “Spotlighting Human Rights,” the session affirmed the pivotal role played by parliaments in protecting rights and freedoms, consolidating the principles of participation, accountability, and the rule of law, and highlighting the contributions of parliamentary work to the promotion of human rights at the national and international levels.

Her Excellency Dr. Mona Al-Mosallamani and His Excellency Mr. Issa Al-Nasr, members of the Shura Council, participated in the session. They discussed four main themes: the role of legislative and oversight mandates in promoting human rights; the Shura Council’s contribution to protecting the rights of women and youth; parliamentary diplomacy and its role in supporting human rights; and the Council’s role in supporting the right to healthcare and enhancing the quality of health services.
During the session, the speakers emphasized that the protection of human rights constitutes an integral pillar of parliamentary work, through the development of the legislative system, the exercise of oversight responsibilities, and the promotion of community participation. These efforts contribute to consolidating the principles of justice and the rule of law, while keeping pace with the comprehensive development witnessed by the State of Qatar.

The speakers also reviewed the growing role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening dialogue and cooperation among parliaments, exchanging expertise, and supporting international efforts aimed at promoting and consolidating human rights. They further highlighted the importance of continuing to develop legislation and policies related to the rights of women and youth, and of improving the quality of healthcare services, as healthcare is one of the fundamental rights receiving increasing attention at both the national and international levels.

The session featured interventions and discussions from attendees, which addressed a number of topics related to the themes of the session. These contributions enriched the dialogue and facilitated the exchange of views on ways to further strengthen the role of parliamentary work in protecting human rights.

This session comes within the framework of the Shura Council’s participation in marking the International Day of Parliamentarism, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly and is observed on 30 June each year, in commemoration of the anniversary of the founding of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.