Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission

Description

The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission is one of the main organs of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, an intergovernmental body of 57 member states across four continents. It acts as an independent advisory expert commission to the Organisation’s Council of Foreign Ministers on human rights matters. It was founded in 2011 as a cross-regional expert body with 18 members drawn from three geographic groups. Its headquarters have been in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, since March 2017.

The Commission advises the Organisation’s policymaking bodies on human rights issues and conducts studies and research in the field. It works to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in member states, and the rights of minorities and Muslim communities in non-member states. It offers technical cooperation, assistance and awareness raising to member states, and supports their national institutions in protecting human rights. It also reviews the Organisation’s human rights instruments and can propose new mechanisms or charters.

The Commission cooperates with United Nations bodies and regional human rights mechanisms, and supports accredited civil society organizations in member states. It takes part in election observation missions and helps member states draft human rights instruments on request. Priority areas include monitoring human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, combating Islamophobia, and protecting the rights of minorities and Muslim communities living outside member states. It also focuses on family, women’s and children’s rights, the right to education and human rights education, and the right to development.

The Commission assists member states in reviewing domestic legislation for compliance with international human rights obligations. It is developing its first executive strategy to assess its strengths and weaknesses and map out a path to greater effectiveness. It plans to launch a biannual human rights journal featuring contributions from its members and partner institutions. It is also undertaking a digital transformation of its secretariat to strengthen communication, internal efficiency and data protection.