RIYADH: Thirteen women have been appointed to the Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC) under a royal decree issued by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman.

The appointments mean half of the positions on the commission’s council will be occupied by women — a major step in furthering women’s empowerment in the country.

“Appointing 13 women as members of the HRC council, with a total of 26 members, is in line with efforts made by the kingdom’s leadership to enable women to occupy leading positions in various fields, and helps achieve what is best for the country,” said Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad, head of the HRC.

He thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for issuing the royal decree to form the commission’s council in its fourth session for a period of four years.

Al-Awwad said that the Saudi leadership’s support and guidance had a great impact on the HRC mission to promote and consolidate human rights principles for the benefit of Saudis and expats.

Meanwhile, the kingdom’s National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT), in cooperation with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has completed a comprehensive four-part training program for 350 participants from all 13 of the kingdom’s regions involved in collecting and managing data on crimes involving people trafficking.

The program is the latest in a comprehensive series of training initiatives that followed the establishment in March of the kingdom’s first National Referral Mechanism, a framework to identify and support potential victims of people trafficking.

Almost a dozen Saudi ministries and authorities, as well as other government and non-government bodies, are involved in the initiative.

Sarah Al-Tamimi, NCCHT’s vice-chair, said: “The completion of this phase of training is part of a holistic agenda that tackles people trafficking from a diversity of angles. We are committed to combating this abominable crime and protecting everyone, without exception, in the kingdom.”

She added: “This is a crime that knows no borders and requires all of us to work together toward its eradication.”

Judge Hatem Fouad, UNODC representative for the Gulf region, said: “Our partnership with the kingdom reflects the reality of the complex, international and multifaceted fight against trafficking in persons.

“I thank the committee members and vice-chair Sarah Al-Tamimi for their fruitful cooperation, and I thank the participants of the training sessions for continuing to improve the kingdom’s anti-trafficking response,” he said.