Jeddah 3 May 2023:  The 21^st Regular Session of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) shall be held from 21-25 May 2023 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).  It will be attended by all OIC Member and Observer States, including their National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), experts from relevant international and regional organizations, and senior officials of the OIC General Secretariat and media representatives.
The formal Opening/Inaugural ceremony will be held on Sunday, 21^st of May 2023, from 0930-1100 hours at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel in Al Qasr Ballroom, Jeddah, KSA.
His Royal Highness Prince Khaled Bin Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Governor of the Makkah Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is invited as Guest of Honor to inaugurate the event and deliver a keynote statement on the occasion. His Excellency Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary General of the OIC, and H.E. Ambassador Muhammad Lawal Sulaiman, OIC-IPHRC Chairperson, shall also make statements on the occasion.
The inaugural ceremony will be followed by a thematic debate on “Business and Human Rights: Normative Framework and Implementation Guidelines for OIC Countries.” The international experts from UN and OIC specialized institutions and representatives of OIC Member and Observer States, including their NHRIs, and business people from various fields, will participate in a day-long discussion. An outcome document reflecting key recommendations made during the debate will be finalized by the Commission.
The Commission shall hold Closed Meetings of its different Working Groups from 22-24 May 2023 at the IPHRC Headquarters in Al Hamrah District, Jeddah, KSA. The Commission is expected to hold detailed discussions on all issues on its agenda, including the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights in the OIC Member States, the human rights violations in Palestine, and Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Also, the regular meetings of its four Working Groups on Palestine; Rights of Women and Child; Islamophobia and Muslim minorities; and the Right to Development will be held, and decisions will be made to identify an action plan for the Commission.
A Half-day workshop on the “Right to Education for Women: Challenges and Way Forward” is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 25^th May 2023.  The Workshop will enable the participants to interact with various experts and stakeholders on the right to education, exchange views, identify challenges, share best practices, and recommend practical solutions to improve access to education for women and children. The main objective is to come up with policy recommendations on education for women in the OIC Member States, particularly in Afghanistan. A Certificate of Participation will be issued to the delegates attending the workshop.