On Sunday 29/8/1437 AH, the Ambassador of Norway to Saudi Arabia Mr. Ralph Willy Hansen has visited the National Society for Human Rights. The delegation was received by HE the Chairman of the Society Dr. Mufleh Rabiean Al- Qahtani and the General Secretary of the Society Adviser. Khalid Abdulrahman Al-Fakhiri.

At the beginning of the meeting, HE the Chairman of the Society has given the delegation a brief explanation regarding the Society’s activities and its contribution in spreading the human rights culture as well as the human rights’ remarkable progress in the Kingdom and the efforts exerted for its enhancement.

In addition, they have talked about some of the issues that have been pursued by the Society and some of the regulations that were issued as well as talking about the remarkable progress of human rights in the Kingdom including the women entrance to the Shoura Council and allowing her to participate in the municipal elections. Besides the visiting delegation has introduced some queries regarding some issues and the Society has clarified its viewpoint on them.

On the other side, the Chairman of the Society has talked about the inclusion of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon of the coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia, in Yemen on the black list of the countries and the armed groups that violate the rights of children during the conflict. He was also astonished and condemned such act from a UN official who is supposed to have necessary mechanisms and means to give the right decision because his decision was not built on sound foundations. For more illustration, we should not equalize between those who recruit children, provide them with arms, push them to the fronts, use schools and hospitals as military headquarters and arm stores and kill civilians daily, and those who are keen to avoid causing any damage to the children or civilians, offers relief and assistance, and eliminates any military strikes if there is doubt that it may cause any harm to civilians or children. Moreover, the Chairman has said on a statement to the media that there are double standards in the disposal of the Secretary General of the United Nations, since he rejects the inclusion of Israel on the blacklist for killing children in Gaza and for what the Israeli army did from filtering children at checkpoints in the West Bank, but at the same time we found him including the coalition forces in Yemen on the blacklist. He adds saying that the Society did not monitor, during the past period, any intentional targeting of children or civilians from the coalition forces, but we found that there is considerable keenness to provide those who work in this Alliance with information on the principles of international humanitarian law and imposed obligations during the conflict and that there is follow-up and accountability when some of the incidents occur unintended.  Hence, the international organization, led by the Secretary-General, should reconsider this decision, which may have some negative effects on the support of the coalition forces to civilians and children in Yemen.