The State of Qatar recently participated in the high-level international conference held in Vienna on ‘Education for the Rule of Law’, one of the components of the global programme for the implementation of the Doha Declaration of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The delegation from Qatar was led by Dr Abdullah Yousuf Al Mal, Adviser to the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Follow-up Committee on the Implementation of the Global Program of the Doha Declaration.
The first session discussed the international framework for education in the rule of law, its importance and usefulness to member states and the international community.
In his address during the conference, Dr Al Mal affirmed Qatar’s willingness to lay certain bases for the implementation of the Doha Declaration through generous donations from HH The Amir, following the agreement between the committee supervising the conference and the UNODC to put the Doha Declaration into effect. Dr Al Mal also thanked the UNODC for the four-year effort to implement the Doha Declaration.
He said that Qatar has a long experience in the field of education, especially considering the many initiatives of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, which continue to inspire the international community.
This meeting is intended to focus on the fourth and sixteenth objectives of sustainable development, and we are discussing with UNODC after the success of the current phase to extend the Doha Declaration. We hope that the discussions will bear fruit, and we hope that we will benefit from the presence of education and high-level officials from different countries of the world.’
A number of issues and themes were addressed during the high-level gathering:
- International Framework for Education in the Rule of Law
- How UNODC, through the Global Program for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, support the consolidation of a culture of respect for law in primary, secondary and university education
- Integrating the rule of law issues, quality of education and its role in supporting the achievement of the goals of sustainable development of 2030
- Education Plan 2030
- The possibility of promoting meaningful participation of young people in the establishment of a culture of respect for law, beneficiating from their vision, energy and creativity
Education for Justice Competition
As part of the preparations for the high-level conference, the Education for Justice Initiative conducted a competition to hear the voices of young people at the primary, secondary and university levels on issues mentioned above. Participants were invited to offer different ways in which young people could strengthen the rule of law and to make their own choices, aspirations and ideas about the links between education and the rule of law.
The Doha Declaration is the first political document adopted by member states of the United Nations that specifically links education, crime prevention and criminal justice with other aspects of the rule of law. The Doha Declaration is also one of the most important documents adopted in 2015, which represents an important milestone, and paves the way for important shifts in the sustainable development agenda, as well as in the participation of youth.
A copy of the guide for policymakers may be accessed through this link.
