According to Article (39) of Decree Law No. (17) of 2010 Regulating the National Human Rights Committee, the Committee aims to promote and protect human rights and freedoms, and in doing so, it may carry out the following functions and responsibilities:
- Raising awareness and educating the public about human rights and freedoms, and instilling their principles in both thought and practice.
- Contributing to the development and implementation of programs related to education and research on human rights.
Since its establishment in 2002, the National Human Rights Committee has founded a specialized Human Rights Library, which operates under the Programs and Education Department, being the department responsible for promoting human rights culture. The library is characterized by the following:
- It holds more than 2,000 resources in both Arabic and English, in addition to specialized periodicals and electronic books.
- The Committee has launched an online search portal for the library’s contents on its official website: https://nhrc.portal.medad.com/en/
- The library's materials are available for use by both visitors and Committee staff.
- The library exchanges publications with local and international human rights organizations, especially the United Nations, its agencies, and national human rights institutions around the world.
- It regularly receives school students—both from public and private institutions—as well as members of various communities in Qatar, and maintains ongoing cooperation programs in this regard.
- The library has also extended its services to prisoners and their families.
The Committee’s library plays an important role in Qatari society by providing users with access to information resources and services. It supports the principles and practices of open research by:
- Maintaining a flexible and open technological infrastructure.
- Promoting innovation in library work (e.g., digital games for children, books in Braille, electronic book access, etc.).
- Offering an online search function on the website.
- Making all of the Committee’s publications available electronically.
- Allowing users to communicate with the library electronically to request references.
As a human rights library, the Committee’s library ensures that its operations reflect the following values:
- Supporting the Committee in fulfilling its mandate to promote and advocate for human rights.
- Upholding the principle of equitable and open access to information for everyone in Qatar.
- Respecting freedom of opinion and expression, the right to education, cultural rights, public participation, and access to scientific progress in its daily practices.
- Ensuring that its content respects privacy rights, cultural rights, freedom of expression, and counters hate speech and misinformation.
Upcoming efforts by the Committee to support the role of libraries include:
- Organizing a conference on children's digital rights and their right to a safe digital environment.
- Organizing a conference on climate change and its impact on human rights, including the right to access information—acknowledging that climate issues pose challenges to libraries.
- Planning to hold an international conference on human rights and artificial intelligence in the near future.
The presenter proposes adopting a human rights-based approach to library operations, whereby, for example, no books, materials, furniture, or other products are sourced from forced labor. He also encourages libraries to publish an annual report on their practices related to respecting human rights, addressing online harm and content, and ensuring digital safety—particularly for children.
Presenter
Mr. Abdulrahman Suleiman Abdullah Al-Hammadi, Head of the Studies and Research Department at the National Human Rights Committee in the State of Qatar
Mr. Abdulrahman is a prominent human rights advocate with significant contributions to promoting and embedding a culture of human rights within Qatari society. he is actively engaged in raising human rights awareness through his participation in numerous panel discussions and public forums on related topics. Mr. Abdulrahman has delivered specialized lectures focused on education, awareness, skill-building, and capacity development for students at the primary, preparatory, and secondary school levels, as well as for university and higher education students. He also contributed to the development of educational and training manuals on human rights, in addition to co-authoring several publications, including The Protection of the Right to a Healthy Environment in the State of Qatar: A Legal and Practical Study. He is currently involved in the forthcoming release of a new book titled Climate Justice, expected to be published in the coming days.