Oman Organizes a Human Rights Event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

Geneva: The Omani Human Rights Commission organized an accompanying event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva to showcase the Sultanate of Oman’s experience in promoting and protecting human rights, expand avenues of dialogue with international partners, and exchange best practices with international institutions and bodies concerned with human rights.

The event was organized in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva. It aimed to highlight the institutional role of the Commission, strengthen international cooperation and knowledge exchange, present the key features and priorities of its work, and provide a concise and credible overview of its efforts, including national initiatives in various fields such as workers’ rights, as well as the Commission’s awareness programs and tools.

The event brought together a wide range of human rights stakeholders in Geneva, including diplomatic missions accredited to the United Nations, international organizations and relevant UN agencies, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, researchers, media professionals, and others interested in human rights issues.

The program included the presentation of three specialized working papers. The first addressed the theme of “Business and Human Rights” as a growing field that links economic development with human rights standards. It highlighted the Commission’s methodology in this area through assessment, recommendations, and follow-up tools, and reviewed a number of qualitative initiatives, including the preparation of guidance manuals.

The second paper focused on promoting and protecting workers’ rights, addressing field monitoring of working conditions, housing and occupational safety, as well as mechanisms for receiving, verifying and following up on complaints in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The third paper provided an overview of parallel (shadow) reports and awareness programs, explaining the methodology for preparing such reports in accordance with United Nations guidelines and highlighting their importance in promoting transparency and expanding international participation and cooperation in human rights issues.

On the sidelines of the event, the Omani Human Rights Commission organized an introductory exhibition of its publications, showcasing a selection of specialized awareness materials, printed annual reports, and various human rights guides and booklets issued by the Commission. The exhibition provided participants with insight into the Commission’s experience in producing publications and its methodology for preparing reports.

Dr. Rashid bin Hamad Al-Balushi, Chairman of the Omani Human Rights Commission, affirmed that the Sultanate of Oman, with its deep-rooted civilization and strategic geographical position, believes that true stability can only be achieved through the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

He reviewed the Commission’s journey since its establishment in 2008 by Royal Decree, and its transition into a new phase of qualitative development following its reorganization under Royal Decree No. (57/2022), which laid down the regulatory framework governing its work, defined its formation, decision-making mechanisms, and competencies, and strengthened its institutional independence.

The Chairman explained that the regulatory framework includes clear provisions governing the purpose of establishing the Commission, the mechanisms for electing the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, membership terms, and meeting procedures, ensuring efficiency, regularity, and clarity in defining the Commission’s national responsibilities.

In his speech, he highlighted the principle of “institutional proximity to the public” as one of the most important indicators of the maturity of national human rights institutions. He noted that the Commission has developed an integrated system for receiving reports and complaints, supported by multiple communication channels that ensure accessibility for various segments of society while preserving confidentiality and transparency.

He explained that the Commission has, in recent years, received, monitored and addressed more than one thousand reports annually, describing this as an indicator of both the volume of work undertaken and the growing public confidence in national human rights mechanisms, as well as increased societal awareness that rights are safeguarded through specialized institutions.

Dr. Al-Balushi also addressed the importance of human rights indicators as a scientific tool that transforms values into measurable standards and supports evidence-based policymaking. He noted that specialized workshops were organized to develop a national guide for human rights indicators tailored to the Sultanate of Oman.

He concluded by affirming that the Sultanate of Oman’s presence within the international human rights system has been significantly strengthened, as it is now an active party to eight out of the nine core international human rights conventions.