Syria signs regional project document on Human development and human rights in the Arab states
Regional-Syria, Politics, 3/23/2004

Chairman of the State Planning commission Abdullah al-Dardari and Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, Assistant secretary general and the director of the regional Bureau of Arab states at the United Nations Development program UNDP signed on March 22, 2004 at the State planning commission premises a regional project document under the title " Human Development and Human Rights in the Arab states region." This project is being undertaken jointly between the High Commissioner for Human rights ( OHCHR) and UNDP.

The signing ceremony was attended by UNDP resident representative in Damascus, Ali al-Za'tari, Assistant chairman of the State planning Commission, Abdullah al-Dardari, and several technicians concerned in the state planning commission and the UNDP.

In a statement to the press following the signing ceremony, al-Dardari stressed Syria's care to highlight the humanitarian dimension in the developmental process and human rights including the rights of women and children, noting that development which does not concentrate nor account on man is doomed to failure.

He indicated that this project, in particular, will enhance Syria's inclination to foster civil societal activities, getting acquainted with human rights issues to development and exchanging expertise between Arab states.

For her part, Rima Khalaf Hunaidi expressed happiness to sign the project document which manifests one of the most important regional projects to strengthen human rights in the Arab states. She added this project is at the regional level rather than at the national level, and therefore the Syria initiative to join it is important and pioneering. She continued Syria's signing of this document magnifies efforts to achieve humanitarian development at the human and economic levels and expanding the volume of human alternatives.

Replying to a question on cooperation relations between Syria and the UNDP, she said it is close and covers all areas, noting in particular, Syria's participation in the UNDP two projects on higher educations and basic learning especially in sciences and mathematics. She also noted that development in Syria needs boosting of human resources and potentials " and in Syria there is a great turnout to implement the two said projects."

The project aims to build regional capacity to advocate and promote the concept of a human rights based approach to development; provide opportunities to develop novel approaches to integrate economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development into programming at the country and regional levels; and develop integrating the right to development.

It is inspiring that the research activities of the project, the development of a human rights information system, the organization of round tables, workshops and publications, will definitely help governments and the Arab- Non- governmental organizations NGOs active in the field of human rights and development to promote the realization of human rights through sustainable human developments.

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