Source: International Christian Concern, August 13, 2021
Iraq adopted a five-year plan for the protection and building of human rights on July 26. The new Human Rights National Action Plan was launched with the support of the Office of the President and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). For Christians who have faced persecution, genocide, displacement from varying threats, land seizures, and more, the commitment to protect human rights as the country pursues recovery can be a sign of hope.
The new initiative is “seeking to harmonize national legislation with international human rights standards, to strengthen national policies for the protection and [the] promotion of human rights and to build individual and institutional human rights capacities,” according to Danielle Bell, Chief of UNAMI’s Human Rights Office and Iraq Representative.
In her speech, Bell also highlighted the key links between the protection of human rights and the growth of sustainable development in Iraq [and said,] “The need for strong and coherent action on human rights is more essential than ever. The Human Rights National Action Plan provides a solid framework for the legislative, policy, procedural and institutional reforms which can prevent human rights violations in the future and which will therefore make a difference to the lives of all Iraqis.”