UAE highlights negative effects of racism, discrimination on women

The UAE rejects all forms of racial discrimination and hate speech during a speech during a panel discussion of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the impact of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence in the context of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of all human rights by women and girls.

Reema Ibrahim Al Mannaee of the UAE Permanent Mission in Geneva said," The UAE rejects all forms of racial discrimination, which is a crime under Clause 102 of the Criminal Law (1987) and its amendments, while a decree in the Federal Law No. 2 (2015) on fighting discrimination and hatred has increased the scope of punishment, by criminalising any acts of discrimination and rejecting hate speech.'' Alongside these deterrents, she noted, the UAE has adopted several preventive measures, with the most important being ensuring gender equality, by providing equal employment opportunities, as well as housing and other social needs, which are considered essential factors in young females receiving their total rights and achieving their full potential, which will make them more empowered in the national development process.

She stressed that the Vienna Declaration in 1993, the Beijing Declaration in 1995, and Durban Declaration in 2001 are historic landmarks in establishing the basic frameworks to limit the negative effects of various forms of racism and discrimination on women and girls. These three documents also highlighted the appropriate methods to counter these negative effects, including removing all barriers and obstacles that limit the basic rights of women and girls when creating and monitoring public policies, as well as issuing appropriate legislations.

Studies have shown that overcoming the inequality between men and women is a major factor in decreasing and eliminating racism and discrimination, as long as it is backed by guarantees that ensure justice, accountability and equality, in order to effectively implement and enforce the laws that aim to prevent discrimination against women and girls.

She thanked the panellists for their valuable interventions.