MEXICO CITY — Combating racism and discrimination represents well-established values and constitutional principles of Saudi Arabia, President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission Dr. Hala Al-Tuwaijri has affirmed.

Dr. Al-Tuwaijri's remarks came while she headed Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the Global Ministerial Forum against Racism and Discrimination, which UNESCO organized from November 28 to 29 in Mexico City.

During her participation in the ministerial round table, which dealt with the establishment of the UNESCO roadmap against racism and discrimination, Al-Tuwaijri reviewed the Kingdom’s experience in this field.

She has highlighted the leading and comprehensive reforms that Saudi Arabia is witnessing in human rights and its experience in combating racism and discrimination out of its profound values and constitutional principles.

Al-Tuwaijri stressed that Saudi Vision 2030 included several goals that contributed to making Saudi Arabia among the top countries in various fields, including women empowerment.

While participating in Panel 4 of the event dubbed "Catalyzing the debate to advance the rights of women, adolescents and girls", she explained, by reviewing the Kingdom’s experience in combating discrimination against women and girls, that the Saudi Vision 2030 included many goals that contributed to making Saudi Arabia among the most advanced countries in the field of women's empowerment.

She also highlighted the most important aspects of reforms related to women's rights and empowerment, including the amendment of labor regulations, civil status, social insurance, documentation and travel, protection against harm, child protection, the issuance of the personal status bylaw, the bylaw for combating harassment and increasing women's participation in the labor market from 17% to 36.4%, which exceeds the Saudi Vision 2030’s target of 30%.

Dr. Al- Tuwaijri stressed that the Kingdom's human rights reforms had not stopped even in light of global crises, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions, explaining that Saudi Arabia has dealt with this pandemic in accordance with a human rights-based approach.

The Kingdom's delegation included representatives of the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture, the Human Rights Commission, King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, the permanent delegation of the Kingdom to UNESCO and the National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, as well as Saudi Ambassador to Mexico Haitham Al-Malki. — SPA