By Mette Appel Pallesen and Brendan Sweeney
The idea behind the creation of the Arab-European Dialogue Platform came about as the result of two trends. On the one hand, there was a marked increase in the number of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) being established in Europe and the Arab world, while on the other hand there was rising tension between the Muslim world and Europe. To increase understanding between the two regions, DIHR and its Jordanian counterpart, the Jordanian Center for Human Rights, began to work together in 2005 to create a common platform for dialogue between these two major regions using a network of both old and newly-established NHRIs as a starting point.
The aim of the dialogue process is to promote a common inter-regional agenda by ensuring that NHRI managers from the Arab world and Europe attend regular high-level meetings to discuss human rights. The main issues which the Dialogue focuses on are non-discrimination, the right of access to information, freedom of opinion and expression, migration, international terrorism, the rights of women and children and its impact on human rights.
In addition the Dialogue also aims to enhance bilateral projects among states, and facilitate an exchange of views and experiences among participating institutions. The list of participants in this dialogue includes the directors and commissioners of NHRIs from the Arab World: Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Qatar, Algeria and Tunisia, and from Europe there are representatives from Denmark, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Ireland and France. Other participating institutions are the Saudi Arabian Human Rights Commission and the Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights, as well as the representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Two high-level human rights dialogue meetings have already been successfully implemented. The Arab European Dialogue Network was established in April 2007 at the very first meeting in Jordan which was devoted to the topic of Counterterrorism Measures. At the following second high-level human rights dialogue meeting held in October 2007, participants from the Arab World and Europe met in Denmark to discuss discrimination based on gender, ethnic origin and religion. A third high-level meeting is also planned. It will take place in Morocco in May 2008 and the topic to be discussed is migration.
In parallel with these high-level human rights meetings the dialogue process continues in working groups, which in contrast to the high-level meetings discuss concrete cases at the national level. The working groups have also proven to be very productive. In January 2008 the two working groups on Access to Information and Counterterrorism Measures, established during the final session of the second dialogue, met up in Egypt. This particular meeting, organized by the Dialogue Network, is regarded as a turning point, as the discussions which resulted opened up a whole new vista for the future of the Dialogue process. It was apparent, for instance, that participants were willing and able to openly discuss the challenges they are facing with regard to providing access to information and dealing with counterterrorism measures, proving that they now have confidence in each other. This suggests that this forum can actually move an agenda.
The Dialogue is also beginning to achieve wider recognition. On March 19, 2008 the Arab European Dialogue Network took the opportunity to make its activities visible to the UN Human Rights Council when Mr. Michel Forst from the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights presented a statement under the Council’s agenda item 9 relating to racism and racial discrimination on behalf of Dialogue Network.
The statement is based on the recommendation adopted by the Dialogue Network at the Second High Level Meeting held in Copenhagen on the topic of Discrimination. After having submitted the statement orally and in writing the Dialogue Network was informed that the contributions were well received by the UN Human Rights Council.
For further information, please contact Mette Appel Pallesen at: map[AT]humanrights.dk