Doha: The first edition of the Arab Moot Court Competition for Human Rights kicked off Tuesday. The competition is organized by the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and hosted by the School of Social Sciences and Humanities (SOSH) at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI).
According to Qatar News Agency, the competition features the participation of students from various universities across the Arab world. The institute stated that it aims to raise awareness among university students and youth in Arab countries about human rights issues, while developing their legal skills in advocacy and judicial argumentation through a realistic simulation of international and regional court procedures.
DI President Dr. Abdelwahab El Affendi emphasized the importance of experiential legal education in preparing a generation of Arab youth capable of defending human rights in national, regional, and international arenas.
Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at the Institute Dr. Amal Ghazal emphasized that this competition aligns with the college’s interest in promoting the principles and culture of human rights, not only as an academic subject, but also as an ethical and professional obligation. In her speech during the opening session of the competition, she noted that this event aligns with the college’s objectives of developing students’ practical skills in legal analysis, argument formulation, and advocacy, and fostering critical thinking on issues of justice and equality, both locally and globally.
Meanwhile, Director of UN Human Rights Training and Documentation Center for South-West Asia and the Arab Region Dr. Abeer Al Khraisha highlighted that the competition is a pioneering interactive educational platform aimed at providing students with comprehensive hands-on experience in the field of international human rights law. It offers participants a unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-life cases that address contemporary legal and humanitarian challenges, through engagement in in-depth legal research and analysis, drafting legal arguments, teamwork, and strengthening communication and advocacy skills.
She explained that the competition contributes to strengthening awareness of the principles of justice and human rights and preparing a generation of legal professionals capable of advocating for human values ??in various forums.
For his part, Head of the Human Rights Program at DI Dr. Moataz El Fegiery noted that the competition represents a practical step toward linking academic knowledge with real-world application. Organizing moot court competitions in the field of human rights is a well-established tradition in European universities, contributing to the enhancement of students’ skills in comparative law, advocacy, and strategic litigation. He also stressed the importance of institutionalizing this tradition in the Arab region as a means of advancing the establishment of a regional human rights protection system, one based on safeguarding individuals through independent regional litigation mechanisms.
The competition’s academic advisor Dr. Ahmed Khalifa explained that the idea of ??the moot court was designed to strengthen students’ skills in legal research and analysis, while providing them with practical experience in advocacy. This competition is considered a unique educational experience, as it offers a setting for studying human rights in a simulated real-world context through an interactive learning environment. It uses competition as a tool to encourage research-based learning, critical analysis, and the development of written and oral communication skills.
Following the opening session, a panel discussion on the future of the human rights system and regional guarantees in the Arab world was held, with the participation of HE Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali, and Human Rights Officer at the UN Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre Hindam Rajoub. The session was moderated by Coordinator of the Education and Cultural Unit at the Centre Bushra Elias.
A second session on the future of the human rights system and the changing reality of international politics was also held, with the participation of the President of the Syrian Network for Human Rights Fadel Abdul Ghani, and Dr. Moataz El Fegiery. The session was moderated by Professor of Comparative Politics at DI, Dr. Abdelkarim Amengay.
The oral competition began with a special session that explained the rules and evaluation mechanisms and participating teams were distributed into advocacy rounds. The competition is scheduled to continue over two days, with the first and second rounds scheduled to be held Oct. 8 (Wednesday), concluding with the announcement of the teams qualifying for the semi-finals. On Oct. 9, the final round will be held followed by the closing session, the announcement of the winning team, and the distribution of certificates.