Saudi Arabia Reaffirms Commitment to Human Rights at 61st UNHRC Session in Geneva
Geneva, The Gulf Observer: President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Dr. Hala Al-Tuwaijri, stated that more than 15 million residents from over 60 countries currently live and work in Saudi Arabia under an integrated legislative, institutional and judicial framework that guarantees the protection of their rights.
Speaking during the high-level segment of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Al-Tuwaijri reaffirmed the Kingdom’s firm commitment to strengthening and safeguarding human rights while enhancing international cooperation through constructive dialogue and mutual respect.
She congratulated the Council’s current president and commended the efforts of Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and his team. She emphasized that Saudi Arabia values the objectives of the Council and underlined the importance of achieving them through collective cooperation.
Al-Tuwaijri highlighted that national policies have been adopted and activated to promote equal opportunity and equal treatment in employment, eliminate forced labor, and prevent child labor. She further pointed to reforms implemented under Saudi Vision 2030, including regulatory updates introduced in 2025 such as the Sports Law, which incorporates a human rights-based approach grounded in equality and non-discrimination.
According to Al-Tuwaijri, these reforms have yielded measurable outcomes. Compliance with occupational safety and health standards has increased significantly from 15 percent to 73 percent, while work-related deaths have declined by 70 percent. She also noted that the unemployment rate dropped from 12.3 percent in 2016 to nearly 7 percent in 2025.
On women’s empowerment, she reported that female participation in the labor market has exceeded 34 percent, marking growth of more than 108 percent since 2017. Additionally, women now hold 44 percent of middle and senior management positions across various sectors.
Addressing global concerns, Al-Tuwaijri called on the international community to adopt firm measures to ensure accountability for crimes committed against children.
On regional issues, she reiterated Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of continued attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s position in support of the rights of the Palestinian people. She also expressed support for Yemen’s security and stability and voiced concern over the ongoing conflict in Sudan, urging an end to the war in accordance with the Jeddah Declaration.
Concluding her remarks, Al-Tuwaijri stressed that Saudi Arabia’s human rights reforms are rooted in national priorities and the objectives of Vision 2030, underscoring that the protection of human rights is both a legal obligation and a moral duty embedded in the Kingdom’s values.
