Egypt takes on int’l human rights presidency

Egypt is now president of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI).

President of the National Council of Human Rights (NCHR) Ambassador Moushira Khattab took over the presidency of ANNHRI from Ahmed Salem Ould Bouhoubeyni, president of the National Human Rights Commission (NCDH) in Mauritania and former chairman of the network.

Khattab became ANNHRI president during the network’s conference, themed ‘National Human Rights Institutions Established in Accordance with the Paris Principles: Roles and Challenges, Visions and Aspirations’ and its 20^th general assembly in Cairo late Saturday, held under the theme

The two-day conference focused on the best practices and lessons learned as well as the most important challenges facing national human rights institutions.

The conference also defined priorities and requirements in this regard and strengthen the role of international and regional networks and organisations to support national human rights institutions.

A number of international and regional organisations as well as experts and representatives from national human rights institutions, the United Nations Development Programme, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights attended the conference.

ANNHRI was established based on an agreement by Arab national human rights institutions during the 7^th annual meeting of Arab National Human Rights Institutions held in Nouakchott in April 2011.

The agreement, known as Nouakchott Declaration, established the network with the aim of “promoting, developing and protecting human rights in the Arab world.”

ANNHRI’s tasks include facilitating co-operation between its members in accordance with solid partnerships with governments, international and regional organizations and civil society groups.

Egypt also took on the presidency of the network in October 2018.