Qatar’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva joined a high-level discussion marking the Human Rights Council’s 20th anniversary and called for a stronger focus on effectiveness, cooperation and real-world impact.
Qatar has called for efforts to strengthen the effectiveness and credibility of the UN Human Rights Council as the body marked 20 years since its establishment.
Hend Abdulrahman Al-Muftah, Qatar’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, made the remarks during a high-level informal discussion held in Geneva on Friday to mark the council’s 20th anniversary under the theme “Twenty Years, One Council: What Have We Achieved and Where Do We Go From Here?”
Speaking during the session, Al-Muftah said Qatar joined other countries in recognising the council’s contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights over the past two decades. She highlighted the body’s institutional mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review, special procedures, technical cooperation programmes and stakeholder participation, which she said had helped strengthen national capacities, encourage dialogue and facilitate the exchange of expertise among states.
Al-Muftah said ongoing conflicts, humanitarian crises and serious human rights violations underscored the need to focus on implementation and tangible impact, adding that the true measure of the council’s success lies in its ability to improve people’s lives.
Looking ahead, she said priority should be given to ensuring that the council remains effective, credible and fit for purpose in an increasingly complex international environment. She called for strengthening the council’s preventive role through implementation, capacity building and technical cooperation.
Al-Muftah also stressed the importance of improving coordination between Geneva and New York and reinforcing links between human rights, development, peace and security, while preserving the council’s inclusiveness, transparency and intergovernmental nature.
She concluded by saying that building trust among member states, respecting diverse viewpoints and maintaining a spirit of cooperation would be essential to the council’s future success.
