GENEVA // The UAE is "resolute" in its efforts to tackle human rights issues, the head of the government delegation to the UN Human Rights Council said yesterday.
Dr Anwar Gargash, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the Federal National Council, reiterated the UAE's commitment to improving human rights.
"The UAE takes the issues of human rights very seriously and is resolute in dealing with them," he said in an interview.
He spoke after the country's first-ever United Nations human rights review, which he said the UAE considered a way to examine its own record.
"Through this process, we can find out where our loopholes are and the things that we can do to rectify them immediately.
"The most significant challenge that the UAE faces in efforts to improve the record on human rights is on the issue of labour, with all of its details," he said.
"It is an issue that encompasses so many sub-issues."
Dr Gargash said comments at yesterday's meeting made by countries with "significant relationships" with the UAE regarding its labour market, such as India, the Philippines and Pakistan, showed they understood the issue. However, he said, some comments - he would not say by whom - showed an unfamiliarity with its complex nature.
"Some interventions in this area were repetitive and disconnected with recent developments."
He said a similar gap in understanding was evident during the discussion on women's issues, with some delegations presenting the "stereotype" of women in the Arab world.
Nevertheless, Dr Gargash said many of the comments were "encouraging and supportive". He cited remarks by the delegate from the Philippines as particularly "helpful".
But, while the UAE is open to discussions in many areas, there were several issues raised during the session, such as capital punishment and the rights of homosexuals, that Dr Gargash described as "non-starters".
"The process has to be doable within our own framework," he said.
Several delegations raised the issue of introducing the concept of human rights into the education system, something the nation is planning to do. Promoting a human rights culture in the UAE depends on education, Dr Gargash said.
He said the human rights assessment and the UAE's responses to questions from the delegations were received positively "because it was a serious and well-documented effort".
"This was the same approach we tried to convey in our opening statement, where we painted a picture of significant progress.
"But at the same time, we highlighted areas of challenges."
zconstantine@thenational.ae
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
'The Sky is Everywhere'
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Rating:2/5
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
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