Abstract
Comprising 57 member states, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest intergovernmental organization in the world after the United Nations. Its membership extends from Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East to Africa, Eurasia, the Balkans and South America.In 2005, OIC launched a reform program that culminated in adopting a revised Charter in 2008 replacing the Charter of 1972. The new Charter seemed to reflect an increased prominence for human rights within the OIC, and it paved the way for the establishment of the OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC). In addition to the stipulation that IPHRC will be one of the eleven primary organs of the OIC, the new Charter expresses the OIC’s determination to “promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, rule of law, democracy and accountability”, and “safeguard and promote the rights of women and their participation in all spheres of life” in member States in accordance with domestic legislation. In addition to these transformations, OIC appear to be more willing to engage with civil society organizations on human rights. It is in this context, and the increasing need to understand the OIC, particularly its human rights mechanisms and discourse, this paper tries to have a general analysis on subject.It should be noted that for some researchers (Mayer.2015) the OIC’s record is shown to be full of confusing and even self-contradictory statements on Islam and human rights. For them, OIC is not a competent organization for promoting the Human Rights as a universal value.As our major question, the paper seeks to evaluate the index growth of human rights and their criteria in OIC. Which are the main instruments for protection of Human Rights in OIC? Has OIC been successful in promotion of Human rights in the Member States and in the world?To carry out the research, a descriptive and analytical method is selected and based on OIC documents, it will be a documented analysis.
Highlights
1.1 Problematic StatementBy 57 members, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation is the second biggest interstate organization in the world after the UN
According to the Statute of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), its mandate is limited to carrying out consultative responsibilities for the Council of Foreign Ministers and submitting recommendations to it rather than investigating human rights violations in member countries or undertaking protective functions.(Statute of Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) IPCHR) IPHRC is composed of 18 “specialists of well-known distinction in the issues of human rights” – six members from each geographic regional group (African, Arab and Asian) represented in the OIC – nominated by member States and nominated by the Council of Foreign Ministers for a period of three years.( Statute of the OIC IPHRC
OIC has attempted to base its perception of human rights on several sources such as the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam as well as policy documents like the OIC Ten Year Program of Action
Summary
By 57 members, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation is the second biggest interstate organization in the world after the UN. In addition to the provision that IPHRC will be one of the eleven primary organs of the OIC, the new Charter expresses the OIC’s determination to “endorse human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, rule of law, democracy and accountability”, and “protect and support the rights of women and their involvement in all domains of life” in member States in accordance with national lawmaking. In addition to these renovations, OIC appears to be more willing to engage with civil society organizations on human rights. Its emphasis is not on the compatibility of sharia with universal human rights, but on the important obstacles that prevent the OIC and its members from founding operational mechanisms
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