EHRA calls UN to declare 2017 year of tolerance

The Emirates Association for Human Rights (EHRA) has submitted a memorandum to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to adopt 2017 as the year for tolerance and prohibition of incitement to hatred.

An EHRA delegation, led by its Chairman Mohammed Salem Al Kaabi, has presented the memo to George Abu Al-Zulof, Head of the UN Training and Documentation Centre for South West Asia and the Arab region, during a meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha.

The EHRA has prepared the memo in celebration of the International Day for Tolerance, which falls on 16th November.

The UAE human rights body has also asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to declare 2017 as year of tolerance and prevention of intolerance and hatred as part of international efforts to inform countries and civil society organisations about the importance of combating these malpractices which pose serious threats to human rights and political, civil, economic, social and cultural freedoms.

The EHRA has also requested the commissioner to notify the UN General Assembly on the need for the enactment of an international convention on promotion of tolerance and prevention of intolerance and incitement to hatred and creation of a legal mechanism under which countries commit themselves to countering extremism, intolerance, hatred and racism.

The two sides explored methods of enhancing joint co-operation and work.