Oman Discusses Fourth Human Rights Report, Announces Candidacy for Human Rights Council
Geneva: The Sultanate of Oman reviewed the progress achieved since the submission of its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report in January 2021, highlighting the advances made in the field of human rights during that period.
This took place during the participation of the Sultanate of Oman’s delegation—headed by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Saidi, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, and comprising representatives of the relevant authorities—in the Universal Periodic Review session held in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Sultanate of Oman prepared its fourth national report through the Legal Committee, which conducted a series of meetings, workshops, and forums with a number of civil society organizations and government entities, reflecting the importance of civil society participation in the preparation of the report.
The report outlined the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to accede to international human rights conventions, most notably its accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, following its earlier accession to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. With this step, the Sultanate of Oman has joined eight of the nine core international human rights treaties, and has submitted several periodic reports in accordance with its treaty obligations.
The report also addressed progress made in issuing legislation related to human rights, particularly laws concerning social protection, media regulation, Omani nationality, the transfer and transplantation of human organs and tissues, combating human trafficking, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the regulatory framework governing the employment of domestic workers and similar categories.
During the session, His Excellency Ambassador Idris bin Abdulrahman Al-Khanjari, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, delivered a statement in which he affirmed the Sultanate of Oman’s commitment to the Universal Periodic Review mechanism. He also announced that the Sultanate of Oman has officially nominated itself, for the first time, for membership in the Human Rights Council for the 2028–2030 term, reflecting its firm commitment to promoting human rights and its positive cooperation with international human rights mechanisms.
The review session witnessed numerous interventions and recommendations from participating countries, reflecting their engagement with the Sultanate of Oman’s report and their keenness to exchange experiences and constructive proposals. A total of 94 countries took part in submitting recommendations during the session.
The Omani delegation also delivered several interventions, providing responses and clarifications on a wide range of human rights-related issues raised by participating states.
At the conclusion of the session, His Excellency the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs affirmed that all interventions and recommendations would receive due attention and consideration, underscoring the Sultanate of Oman’s conviction in the importance of the Universal Periodic Review as a mechanism for advancing human rights and enhancing national practices through the exchange of international experiences.
