The Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA) organised the third interactive lecture of the ‘Electoral Culture Virtual Majlis’ initiative – a series of remote lectures the Ministry organises via videoconferencing technology to spread awareness about the parliamentary processes and accomplishments in the UAE, and establish a culture of political participation among all members of the community.

The lecture’s first lecture was titled ‘A Pillar of Human Rights in the UAE: The Federal National Council (FNC) elections, and featured Dr Muhammad Butti Al Shamsi, Associate Professor of Administrative Law at the Dubai Police Academy. Dr Al Shamsi underlined the importance of establishing a culture of human rights and the FNC Elections.

“The UAE has always prioritised human rights,” he added, “continuing on its cultural heritage and in keeping with its constitutional guarantees for civil liberties and its legislative frameworks that promote justice, equality, and tolerance. The UAE is home to numerous organisations and entities working to ensure all human rights standards are met, which reflects how important this issue truly is in Emirati society.”

“Since its establishment, the UAE has succeeded in creating an inspired model rooted in respecting all people, nationalities, cultures, and customs. This, in turn, has enhanced the UAE’s global reputation, making it a second home of choice for people from more than 200 nationalities who now live here, enjoying their full rights and all the benefits guaranteed by the UAE constitution and legislations,” Dr Al Shamsi explained.

“FNC Elections are a prime example of how human rights are practiced in the UAE, where citizens are guaranteed the right to express their opinions transparently and participate in elections to choose their representatives who relay their concerns to decision makers,” he said.

Dr Al Shamsi described the 2019 Federal National Council Elections as transparent and honest, where candidates were able to freely exercise their rights and voters were able to reach the electoral centres and cast their votes without any obstacles or restrictions, in line with the principles of equal opportunities and equality.

Al Shamsi applauded the level of organisation in the fourth electoral cycle, highlighting the seamless procedures and the high standards of accuracy, integrity, and transparency, which ensured the rights of all participants and allowed representatives from civil society institutions to participate in monitoring the voting process in electoral centres – a great example of the UAE’s commitment to upholding human rights.

The Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs continues to organise its series of lectures, with the schedule of events, venues, and speakers set to be announced through the Ministry’s official social media accounts on Instagram (mfnca) and Twitter (@mfnca).