OIC IPHRC Message on ‘Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Day 2021’ calls for adopting a human rights-based approach, inspired by universal Islamic principles, as a framework for just and equitable recovery of societies in a post-pandemic world
Ashraf AboArafe.
Jeddah, 5th August 2021:
In commemorating the 10th anniversary of the ‘Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Day’, OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) called upon all OIC Member States to adopt a human rights-based approach inspired by universal Islamic principles, as a framework to guide joint efforts in mitigating the post-pandemic global challenges.
The Commission expressed concern on the unfortunate reality of the world where millions worldwide continue to face indignities, including foreign occupation and oppression, hunger, preventable diseases, limited socio-economic opportunities, and lack of access to basic needs that seriously undermine their fundamental human rights. The ongoing pandemic has worsened these human rights situations across the world, including doubling the number of people facing food crises and children losing access to basic education and health services. Worst still, there is a growing incidence of hate speech, xenophobia, racial and religious discrimination that is further pulling apart the socio-cultural homogeneity of the multicultural societies besides affecting global peace and security, the Commission added.
While stressing that the conceptual foundation of human rights in Islam places a strong emphasis on the inherent dignity of human beings and their equality before the law, which is in harmony with the universal human rights principles, the Commission urged all Member States to face these unprecedented challenges through enhanced cooperation with concerned regional and international stakeholders, to devise human rights-based people-cantered policies, to better translate human rights principles into practical tools to improve human lives.
The Commission also urged all stakeholders in the international community to reinforce respect for diversity, multiculturalism, democracy, and the rule of law, which are at the core of human rights and fundamental freedoms. To this end, it urged all States to work together with their political, religious, and community leaders to promote a better understanding of the universal human rights values; collectively deal with the underlying causes of racism and religious intolerance, including their contemporary manifestations, i.e., Islamophobia; and to ensure the maintenance of international peace and security.
Welcoming the continued and growing importance placed on human rights issues within the OIC, the Commission reiterated its call upon all Member States to further their efforts to uphold and promote good governance, democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms, and rule of law. To this end, IPHRC hailed the monumental achievement of adopting the revised Cairo Declaration of OIC on Human Rights, which has helped bridge the perceptional and legal gaps between the compatibility of universal human rights and Islamic laws. It also welcomed the ongoing revision of the ‘OIC Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam’, which would further strengthen the OIC’s normative and institutional human rights architecture.
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