Third Arab Conference on Human Rights concluded [Archives:2003/695/Local News]

The Third Arab Conference on Human Rights concluded in Sana'a on Thursday, Dec 11. The event was organized by the Human Rights Information and Training Center (HRITC) in cooperation with the German Koaner Adinawer Organization of the Middle East. Minister of State for Human Rights Ms Amatalaleem Assooswah attended and complimented the conference on the large number of Arab participants indicating that human rights movement is in constant growth in Arab countries as a result of dedicated efforts of the activists, and continued cooperation between government agencies and civil organizations.
Minister Assooswah said that the government adopted democracy as a way of life, and stressed it by enhancing human rights principles through developing new mechanisms, either by the Ministry of Human Rights, or non-governmental organizations.
The Minister called upon the civil organizations to cooperate fully amongst themselves in preparing a national report on human rights in Yemen. “This report should be prepared in a completely independent, unbiased and objective manner,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Izzaddeen Al-Asbahi, Director of HRITC, said that the Third Arab Conference is a wonderful continuation of the activists work, and its conclusion is a real beginning of the field work. He encouraged activists to transform the theoretical discussions into practical work to enhance the principles of human rights spreading its knowledge, and defending it. He emphasized that the Human Rights Information and Training Center (HRITC) performs its work on a regional level, completely independent and unbiased. He called upon all organizations to join hands in order to realize the common goal of protecting human rights and integrity.
Mr. Sameeh Mohsin of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights spoke on behalf of the training faculty emphasizing the importance of Arab participation in such conferences, trainers of activists, as it represents one of the unique Arab works, indicating that educating the general public about the need to protect human rights were the responsibilities of all.
The Third Human Rights Conference had started on Saturday, 6 December in Sana'a with about 40 participants from Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, and Lebanon.
The training faculty consisted of elite trainers from Yemen, Geneva, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Palestine.
Programs included numerous lectures, and intensive workshops dealing with reporting violations, report writing, and project preparations.
Other lectures dealt with U. N. Committees, International Criminal Court, International Human Law and its relation to human rights, and various international treaties.
A large number of human rights activists, diplomats, and representatives of non-governmental organizations attended the conclusion ceremony.
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