UN scrutinizes siege nations’ violations of the rights of Qatari Students

Jan 20, 2019

Siege countries that have failed to respect the educational rights of Qatari students have been put under the microscope, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the right to education highlighted yesterday.

At a seminar held collaboratively between Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and Qatar University (QU), the UN’s investigative expert, Dr Koumbou Boly Barry, said that she is currently examining the violations to the rights of hundreds of Qatari students compelled to withdraw from their study programs under the illegal blockade imposed on Qatar, reported The Gulf Times.

Dr Barry said she had met with the Qatari students affected by the blockade, as part of her investigative effort.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education says they are examining blockade violations of Qatari students' rights. #QNA
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) January 19, 2019

All countries, excluding one, are signatories of the International Covenant on Civil, Economic and Social Rights, under which they are obligated to maintain the freedom and dignity of people around the globe, she emphasized. Adding that her role involves urging the countries under the agreement to uphold it with integrity.

As many as 213 Qatari students are said to have bore the brunt of the crisis that disrupted the country’s diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt. With the blockade going into effect in June 2017, all Qatari citizens, including students were coerced into leaving the siege countries within a period of two weeks.

Data shared by the NHRC at the event also revealed that among the 130 Qatari students in UAE, 55 students in Saudi Arabia, and 28 in Bahrain, who were given the ultimatum to vacate the countries, some 706 students of these countries, studying at QU at the time, were pushed into returning to their homelands in the act of isolation.

The sudden order issued by the siege countries did not only take an emotional toll on the Qatari students but also produced an unfair financial impact, depriving the students any refunds of the course fee. At the time, QU and other Doha-based universities such as College of North Atlantic Qatar emerged as saviors to accommodate the Qatari students faced with the crisis.

NHRC revealed that it received a number of complaints from the students who were unable to establish any contact with the universities under a strict ban imposed by the siege countries. The Committee further shared that recent graduates at the time were deprived of their graduation certificates, reported The Peninsula Qatar.

The blockade directly affected at least 13,314 individuals resulting in distanced families, barriers to work, business, travel, education among others, the NHRC had revealed earlier.

What are your thoughts on this development? Were you or someone you know engulfed in this situation? Share your experience with us.