A/HRC/14/2 8. Several institutions concerned with the promotion and protection of human rights had been established at the governmental and non-governmental levels. The delegation referred to the establishment of the National Human Rights Committee according to the Paris Principles, and which had been accredited by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions. The delegation mentioned the establishment of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue, which was aimed at spreading and promoting the culture of dialogue and peaceful coexistence; the Arab Democracy Foundation, aimed at encouraging the Arab region to strengthen the culture of democracy; and the Doha Centre for Media Freedom. 9. The right to education was enshrined in the Constitution; education was compulsory and free of charge. A national plan for education had been developed in 2003 to provide education for all and an evaluation of progress was conducted in 2007. Qatar was keen to promote inclusive education that included all learners without discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion or other grounds. The Supreme Education Council had been established in 2002 as the highest authority responsible for drawing up education policy; Emiri decision No. 14 of 2009 organized the Council in the context of the procedures aiming to implement Qatar National Vision 2030. The Council aimed at improving the level of education to meet the State's needs for qualified human resources. 10. Expenditure on education had increased. Qatar had adopted a pioneering policy to encourage scientific research, as exemplified by the allocation of 2.8 per cent of GDP to research, and the establishment of the Qatar National Research Fund in 2006. In addition, an endowment fund for education expenditure had been set up from part of the investment in Qatar’s gas wealth. 11. Qatari laws and legislations guaranteed the right to access to medical care services without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, belief, language, age or disability. The delegation reported on the establishment of the Supreme Council of Health, which designed health policies and strategies and adopted development and scientific research plans. 12. Qatar’s policy of openness was exemplified by the hosting of international conferences on issues such as development, democracy, human rights and the promotion of a culture of peace. 13. The delegation referred to Qatar’s constitutional commitment to respect international charters and covenants and to implement all international instruments to which it was a party. Qatar had submitted periodic reports to the various monitoring mechanisms while striving to respect the time frame set by them. Qatar had played a pioneering role in the adoption of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Qatar has adopted in recent years a strategic policy on general reservations with the purpose of reviewing them. 14. Qatar was considering accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 15. In the context of efforts towards capacity-building at the international level, the endeavours of Qatar and OHCHR had been crystallized through the establishment in Doha of the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region. The Centre had been inaugurated in May 2009 and was expected to contribute to training, developing and building capacity. 16. Qatar had accepted the request made by the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially children and women, to visit the country. The competent authorities were considering a draft law on combating human trafficking and a draft law on domestic workers. 4