OIC Declaration on Human Rights Highlights the OIC’s Strong Commitment to Universal Human Rights Standards

Date: 17/12/2018

Ambassador Hesham Yousef, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural, Family and Social Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has stressed that the OIC Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam (CDHRI) now revised as ‘OIC Declaration on Human Rights’, will highlight the OIC’s strong commitment to universal human rights standards when finalized.

In a speech delivered during the opening of the two-day Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Working Group to discuss the Draft of the ‘OIC Declaration on Human Rights’ held at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, on 17 December 2018, Amb. Hesham expressed the hope that the experience and collective will of the OIC Member States will contribute in shaping up a new consensus Declaration for the benefit of all the Member States.

The Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam (CDHRI) was adopted by the 19th Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Cairo in 1990, to serve as ‘guidance for the Member States in the matters of human rights’. At that time, it was considered the first step as it brought the human rights discourse within the OIC community.

The 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in 2015 mandated the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC to review the declaration against existing universal human rights instruments and make the necessary suggestions for its improvement.

After a process of careful review, IPHRC presented a revised draft entitled the ‘OIC Declaration on Human Rights’ to the 44th CFM. Amb. Hesham pointed out that the finalization of this new declaration will help strengthen the OIC in this area of growing importance to the whole world.

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