The Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, affirmed today that the GCC countries safeguard human rights and guarantee all basic rights, including equality and non-discrimination, in implementation of the supreme directives of the leaders of the GCC states, reports Al-Rai daily.
Speaking on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which falls on March 21, this year the event is held under the slogan ‘The need to combat racism and racial discrimination’ especially since 75 years have passed since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He added, “This is an affirmation of what was stated in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and the rest of the treaties and agreements to which the GCC states have joined, noting that the GCC states are committed to eliminating all forms of racial discrimination and criminalizing His actions are in accordance with the legislation, laws, procedures and measures adopted by the GCC states.
He pointed out that the world today is still suffering from campaigns of racism, discrimination, hatred and related intolerance that have created challenges for the international community, including governments, institutions, groups and individuals, to find solutions to combat racism in all its forms.
He also stressed that the GCC countries were and still are working to spread and promote a culture of tolerance, respect for human rights and rejection of racism, in application of what was required by the tolerant Islamic law, which prohibits discrimination, and recalled what was stated in the text of the Declaration of Human Rights of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was adopted in 2014 on the principle equality and non-discrimination in any form in more than one subject.
Al-Budaiwi stressed the need to unite efforts aimed at building and developing societies by promoting a culture of tolerance, moderation and acceptance of the other, calling on the international community to condemn discourses that promote ideas based on racial superiority or hatred or incite racism and discrimination.