The President of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, affirmed her country's commitment to enhance and protect human rights as well as the significance of respecting cultural diversity and equality among peoples in light of international agreements, under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister. Addressing the high-level meetings of the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva on Monday, Dr. Al-Tuwaijri, who headed the delegation representing the Kingdom at the meeting, stated: "Today marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which serves as the foundation for all human rights. As we recall this historic event, let us affirm that the promotion and protection of human rights require relentless and continuous efforts and the realization of transformations on the ground. We, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are witnessing historical changes due to numerous reforms and advancements in a range of human rights areas that have significantly influenced growth and quality of life." She highlighted the significant and unprecedented reforms the Kingdom is undergoing now as part of its development vision 2030, which made the human being as its first priority. She also noted that the Kingdom has worked to develop its legislative system by issuing and amending numerous laws, including the law of evidence and the personal status system, and that work is currently taking place concerning two initiatives on civil transactions law and the penal code for discretionary sanctions. According to Dr. Al-Tuwaijri, between 2016 and 2022, the Kingdom had a considerable drop in the unemployment rate from 11.6% to 5.8%. In order to eradicate any discrimination in this field, a national policy was also released to promote equal opportunity and equal treatment in the labor market. The President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission added that the Kingdom has made significant strides recently in the field of women's empowerment, as a strategic goal of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 was adopted to increase their participation in the labor market in addition to establishing a gender balance center in 2021. "Women's participation in the labor force increased from 17% to 37% between 2017 and 2022, and their rate of economic participation increased from 28.6% to 39% between 2017 and 2021. Women's representation in high and middle administrative positions also increased during this time, from 21.2% to 34.7%," she said. Dr. Al-Tuwaijri highlighted the Kingdom's humanitarian efforts in light of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to operate an airlift to provide health, shelter, food, and logistical assistance and the organization of a campaign to help the earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria in order to mitigate the effects of the devastating earthquake that caused heavy loss of life and property. She disclosed that the total aid in this campaign so far has exceeded $160 million. She emphasized in her speech that the Kingdom endeavors to establish international peace and security, promote human rights, and spare no effort in supporting humanitarian issues, including its keenness to mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis in addition to HRH the Crown Prince's mediation in the release of a number of prisoners and their return to their countries. She expressed the Kingdom's condemnation and denunciation of the burning and tearing of copies of the Holy Qur'an by a number of extremists in a number of the European Union's states, asserting the Kingdom's affirmation of the need to abide by the principles and regulations outlined in international human rights standards, which forbid any promotion of national, racial, or religious hatred that would constitute an incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence. Dr. Al-Tuwaijri emphasized the Kingdom's keenness of the need to give all human rights the same amount of attention so that no focus is placed on rights at the expense of others, urging the Human Rights Council to carry out its duties towards improving the global human rights situation in an atmosphere of constructive dialogue, commitment to transparency and objectivity, and the promotion of a culture of tolerance.
