A/HRC/44/57/Add.1 II. Racial equality and non-discrimination in Qatar 6. Qatar has a population of approximately 2.8 million. 2 Of that number, about 2.5 million are non-citizens, who are identified in the Qatar National Vision 2030 framework as central to the nation’s economic growth, development and global ambitions. In short, about 90 per cent of the population are non-citizens, who represent over 70 nationalities. 3 About 71 per cent of the national population is comprised of low-income migrant workers.4 A. Legal framework 7. Article 35 of the Permanent Constitution of Qatar enshrines rights to racial equality and non-discrimination: “All persons are equal before the law and there shall be no discrimination whatsoever on grounds of gender, race, language or religion.”5 In addition, articles 18, 19 and 34 contain several legal guarantees of equality. Justice, freedom and equality, along with benevolence and high moral standards, are highlighted as core societal values under article 18. Articles 19 and 34 include provisions for equal rights, opportunities and duties for all citizens. 8. The Special Rapporteur commends Qatar on its recent accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This accession significantly expands the State’s existing human rights treaty commitments. Qatar is now party to seven United Nations human rights treaties, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 9. As noted by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Qatar has not adopted a legal definition of racial discrimination that fully implements article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 6 The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to rectify this shortcoming without delay. She notes the ongoing elaboration of a national action plan for human rights but regrets that Qatar has not yet developed an action plan to combat racism. She urges the Government to adopt a national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance in accordance with the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and to establish an independent equality body mandated to prevent and combat racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination. These measures would represent significant strides towards addressing some of the challenges highlighted below. 10. The Special Rapporteur notes with appreciation that human rights are mainstreamed across several ministries through the establishment of human rights departments, including within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs. She appreciates the establishment of a section within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for the follow-up of treaty body recommendations. The Special Rapporteur commends the Government for such good practices, which could be replicated by other States Members of the United Nations. 11. The Special Rapporteur commends the establishment in 2002 of the National Human Rights Committee, mandated to promote and protect human rights. She welcomes the contribution of that Committee in further advancing racial equality and non-discrimination, 2 3 4 5 6 See www.psa.gov.qa/en/statistics1/StatisticsSite/Pages/Population.aspx. See Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, “Qatar crisis – report (January 2018)”, available at https://assets.fragomen.com/s3fs-public/fragomen_-_qatar_crisis_report_january_2018.pdf, and Global Detention Project, “Qatar: issues related to immigration detention”, submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, available at www.globaldetentionproject.org/submission-cerd-qatar. Qatar, Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, Measuring the Standard of Living in Qatar: Household Expenditure and Income Survey 2012/2013. Available at www.psa.gov.qa/en/statistics/Statistical%20Releases/Social/HouseholdIncomeAndExpenditure/2013/ Living-Conditions-2012-2013-En.pdf. See www.gco.gov.qa/en/about-qatar/the-constitution/. CERD/C/QAT/CO/17-21, para. 7. 3