UAE rights body flays HRW report

The negative approach adopted in Human Rights Watch's (HRW) report has been criticised by Abdul Ghafar Hussein, Chairman of the UAE Human Rights Association (HRA).

The report concentrated on the negatives and did not mention any positive side. The UAE has come a long way over the past four years in many aspects related to human rights, such as legislative, labour and woman rights, said Hussein at a press conference held at the HRA.

He said what the UAE has achieved at the level of human rights over these years is close, or equal, to what developed European countries have achieved.

He did not blame HRW and considered what was included in the report came in good intention. But he blamed some officials in the country who unintentionally refuse to receive representatives of international civil society organisations due to their busy schedule, which makes those representatives take negative impression of the country.

Hussein criticised what the report included on labourer and women issues. He stressed on the remarkable improvement in rights of workers over the past few years and development of legislations related to those rights.

He said that women in the UAE occupied many leading positions and had a representation at all federal and local councils.

Hussein said half of the Federal National Council members are elected, which is a step on the way of selection of all FNC's members by election.

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