GENEVA, June 23: Kuwait expressed on Tuesday before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), its concern of the spreading phenomenon of Islamophobia, hate speech, and discrimination. This came during a speech given by Kuwait’s Permanent Envoy to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim, before the UNHRC 47th session held between June 21 and July 13 in Geneva, Switzerland. The session is held via video-conference, as part of an interactive dialogue with United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. Islamophobia is undermining peaceful societies, and requires the international community’s firm measures to counter it, in order to spread peace and tranquillity worldwide, he said. He also called for protecting the individuals from the acts of violence, discrimination and hatred crimes.

Kuwait expressed its deep conviction in human rights and constructive dialogue to protect those rights based on the communities’ right in choosing the appropriate values, principles and concepts that suit their people, he said. Kuwait also “rejects the attempts of some communities to impose their culture on others, justifying such an action by globalizing the human rights,” he said. “We cannot accept any values that contradict with our culture and religion of Islam,” he affirmed. “The sustainable development is hardly moving in some parts of our region, not only because of the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid- 19), but also due to the series of armed conflicts that put lives at risk, and violate human rights, resulting in displacement of large number of people,” he said. Kuwait strongly condemns the Israeli forces’ occupation of the Palestinian territories, and committing flagrant violations against the unarmed Palestinian people, totally ignoring the international humanitarian law, and UNHRC resolutions, he affirmed.

“The latest Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip and the blatant violations of Palestinians’ human rights are part of many crimes committed against the unarmed people of Palestine, with international failure of questioning the Israeli authorities over their apartheid crimes,” he added. Kuwait hopes that the international community provide further financial aid to UNHRC, to allow it practicing its work actively, said Al-Ghunaim. Kuwait is keen on continuing to assist UNHRC, highly appreciating the efforts exerted to spread human right worldwide, he said. The Annual report issued by UNHRC highlighted the challenges countering the human rights, especially following the spread of Covid-19, and the negative impact it left om those rights, the Ambassador added. Kuwait will always be of a great support to the United Nations Human Rights Council and its work in serving human rights all over the world, he said. (KUNA).