Chairman of National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), and Secretary-General of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions HE Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri said that the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the threats that it poses to individuals in the world, also represents an opportunity for the global alliance and the national human rights institutions, regional networks and United Nations agencies to exchange best practices and identify needs in a better world that seeks to ensure that human rights are promoted and respected everywhere more than ever.
This came in a speech by HE Dr al-Marri at the opening of the annual meeting of the tripartite partnership "remotely", between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions, in which he called for turning the momentum created by the meeting into a milestone for the future of cooperation in the process of strengthening and protecting human rights.
He described this tripartite partnership as an ambitious and purposeful project, considering the meeting a historic one as it is taking place amid unprecedented exceptional circumstances the world is experiencing due to the spread of the corona pandemic.
"This meeting highlights our ability to adapt to changes in the world, stresses the power of our mutual communication as human beings and partners, and confirms our will as a team to build a better tomorrow together," HE al-Marri said, adding that the meeting will hold a strategic discussion among the global alliance and representative regional networks on some of the major developments in the United Nations system, and with regard to important global trends on human rights.
He noted that the tripartite partnership seeks to form a workspace for co-operation between its parties, with updates on common priorities and co-operative and work planning during the coming period, as well as discuss other topics such as strengthening the rule of law and human rights for sustainable peace and promoting development.
The annual meeting of the Tripartite Partnership (TPP) to support national human rights institutions (NHRIs) aims, over two days, to enhance co-operation between the United Nations system and national human rights institutions, their regional networks and the global coalition of national human rights institutions (GANHRI) by promoting information sharing, good practices and challenges, and discussing capacity-related needs through a virtual "remote" dialogue, enables trans-Pacific partners and broader stakeholders in the United Nations system to define common and complementary priorities for engagement and support in the coming period.
It also provides an opportunity for national human rights institutions to interact directly with the United Nations system, take note of key developments in the international organisation with regard to its work and provide important national, regional and global experiences and knowledge to United Nations partners.
The annual meeting of the Tripartite Partnership on its first day discussed perspectives from regional networks under the heading Main Trends, including addressing the coronavirus (Covid-19), forward-looking priorities, strategic planning processes and partnership opportunities in Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe, along with presentations from the Global Alliance OHCHR and UNDP on priority actions and major achievements since the last trilateral partnership meeting, and other reports and findings.
It also discussed in an open discussion session the role of national human rights institutions in implementing the sustainable development goals.
