Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al-Marri | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Labour | |
| Assumed office October 19, 2021 | |
| Appointed by | Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 30, 1972 |
| Education | PhD in Political Science (2006) MA of Political Science (2002) BA of Political Science (1997) |
Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al-Marri (Arabic: علي بن سعيد بن صميخ المري)[1] is a Qatari human rights figure[2] and politician[3] born on November 30, 1972.[4] He was appointed Minister of Labour of the State of Qatar on October 19, 2021,[5] and was re-appointed Minister of Labor by an Amiri order in March 2023.[6] Before taking up the ministerial portfolio, he had chaired the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) for State of Qatar since 2009.[7] He also served as Acting President and Secretary-General of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions[8] and as President of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions. In 2012 he was elected chairman of the Permanent Arab Committee on Human Rights of the Arab League[9] and Chairman of the Asia Pacific Forum[10] for the session 2013 to 2015. He was re-elected as Chairman of the NHRC of the State of Qatar in 2019.[11][12] In June 2023, Al-Marri was elected as president of the United Nation's annual International Labour Conference.[13][14][15]
Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri holds a Ph.D. in political science in 2006, a MA of Political Science in 2002 and a Bachelor of Political Science in 1997.[4]
After gaining a Ph.D, Al-Marri has been engaged with human rights and humanitarian work through field and functional work, as he has a long expertise in international circles regarding protection and promotion of human rights at both local and international levels, which has contributed to Qatar's accession to a number of conventions, protocols and charters related to human rights during his tenure as the Chairman of The National Human Rights Commission.[16]
On the other hand, he was concerned with institutional work of Human Rights field, especially with regard to the importance of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and enhancing its role.[8] During his tenure, he also used to accredit national human rights institutions to the Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the GANRHI in accordance with its commitment to the Paris Principles of human rights standards.[17]
He is a member of several committees concerned with human rights, such as the National Human Rights Committee, the Executive Bureau of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, the executive committee of the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions, the Arab Political Science Network (APSN), and the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science.[8] He is also a member of the advisory board of the Democracy and Human Rights Program, the Arab Elections Network, and the International Committee of Civil Society Organizations.[4]
Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri has written a number of research papers on human rights, including "Philosophical Thought and the Values of the Major Revolutions as a Source of Human Rights", "Eliminating Child Labour by Applying it to Some Arab States", "The Principle of The Prohibition of Forced Labour", "International Protection of Human Rights During Armed Conflicts and Under Occupation", "The Impact of International and Regional Transformations on The Gulf Cooperation Council", "The Legal Status of Jerusalem", "Sierra Leone From Slavery to The Civil War", "Egyptian-Sudanese Water Relations", "State Functions Under Individualist Direction", "The Determinants of Qatar's Foreign Policy[33]" and "The Political and Constitutional Development of The State of Qatar Under The Permanent Constitution".[4]
Ali bin Samikh Al Marri is the Qatari Minister of Labour and former chairman of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in. He has been involved in leading efforts to reform the treatment of migrant workers in the country, particularly in the construction industry. These efforts have focused on improving working and living conditions of migrant workers in Qatar and, increasing transparency and accountability, and addressing issues of labor exploitation. Since he assumed his position as the labour minister, Al Marri has intensified efforts in ensuring the protection of workers.
His Excellency the Minister of Labour has overall responsibility for all Ministry of Labour issues, including:
Al Marri and ILO are continuously working together on areas of labour reforms including occupational safety and health, intensifying efforts to combat forced labour and human trafficking, and supporting companies to revise their policies and procedures in line with the new legislation.[34]
In May 2021, a new Ministerial Decision was introduced to protect workers during the hottest months of the year (From 1 June to 15 September) particularly outdoor workers who are exposed to the heat, humidity and the sun, must work between 10 am and 3:30 pm.[35]
On 3 November 2022, Ali bin Samikh Al Marri he had a meeting with the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Gilbert F. Houngbo, in Geneva, and during the meeting, the progress was noticed in the continuous technical cooperation program between the ILO and Qatar.“Recent labour reforms by the State of Qatar have brought positive results. I thank Minister Al Marri for their commitment to pursue these reforms and their implementation, in line with Qatar's vision 2030. The ILO is ready to continue supporting the State of Qatar, to bring further improvements that benefit all workers,” said Director-General Houngbo in the meeting.[36]
Al-Marri's role emerged in light of the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on Qatar on June 5, 2017, through his great efforts on the human rights level. Acting as the Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee, he adopted regional and international moves to explain the catastrophic effects of the blockade, through communication with international governmental and non-governmental organizations and delivering press statements about the blockading states, in addition to participating and holding many international conferences that would document the repercussions of the blockade.[37]
During blockade he led various communications, through an array of international forums, calling for the necessity of immediate action to end the suffering of those affected by the blockade imposed on Qatar, and urging human rights organizations, regional and international organizations and other parties to assume their responsibilities to stop the blockade against Qatar.[38]