Overview
The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) is one of the key organs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations, which brings together 57 Member States spanning four continents.
Functioning as an advisory body of experts to the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), the IPHRC carries out its mandate with full independence and impartiality, focusing on human rights issues of particular relevance to the OIC region — including the situation and rights of Muslim minorities and communities in non-OIC States.
Established in 2011, the IPHRC serves as a cross-regional body of human rights experts, comprising 18 members representing three geographical groups. The establishment of the IPHRC reflects the OIC’s commitment to harmonizing Islamic values and principles with international human rights standards, highlighting the OIC recognition of the importance of addressing human rights issues at both the national and international levels in an organized, independent, and objective manner.
The framework for an effective and fully independent human rights mechanism was defined in the Ten-Year Program of Action of the OIC, adopted by the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit, held in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 7–8 December 2005. The revised and amended Charter of the OIC, adopted by the Eleventh Islamic Summit held in Dakar, Senegal, dated 13-14 March 2008, approved the establishment of the IPHRC. Subsequently, the Basic Statute of the IPHRC was adopted during the Thirty-Eighth Session of the CFM, convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 28-30 June 2011.
The IPHRC has been specifically designed as a cross-regional human rights mechanism that contributes to concerted efforts aimed at reinforcing the universality of human rights. It also operates as an international body whose multifaceted role extends to issues on the global human rights agenda that affect the lives of people in both Member and non-Member States alike. Working in close cooperation with all relevant mechanisms, the IPHRC seeks to avoid duplication, focusing instead on areas of complementarity to ensure it adds genuine value to the promotion and protection of human rights.
Headquarters:
Thanks to the visionary leadership and unwavering support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided an independent building for the IPHRC General Secretariat Headquarters in March 2017. Since then, the IPHRC has honored and carried out its mandate with full independence from its main headquarters in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Objectivity and Independence:
The IPHRC adheres to internationally recognized standards and procedures to ensure objectivity, independence, and professionalism in fulfilling its mandate. To this end, each and every elected member of the IPHRC is required to take an official oath prior to assuming office, in which they pledge to carry out their duties and responsibilities with honesty, professionalism, truthfulness, independence, and integrity. While performing their functions, the IPHRC Members shall uphold and maintain the highest standards of professionalism, honesty, independence, neutrality, and integrity, thereby strengthening their moral authority and credibility while remaining insulated from any external influence. It is strictly prohibited for IPHRC Members to receive instructions from any State, including their own countries, or from any third party.
Vision:
The vision of the IPHRC is to serve and function as a credible international human rights mechanism that harmonizes Islamic values with universal human rights principles — thereby safeguarding and upholding human dignity, promoting justice and equality, fostering peaceful coexistence, and encouraging constructive cooperation within the OIC Member States and among Muslim communities worldwide.
Guiding principles:
The IPHRC operates according to five guiding principles that collectively define its mandate, priorities, and practical approach: complementarity, introspection, prioritization, an incremental approach, and credibility. Taken together, they form a cohesive framework for advancing human rights in a constructive and effective manner.
Complementarity ensures that the mandate of the IPHRC strengthens existing international, regional, and national human rights mechanisms by adding value, fostering cooperation and integration, and avoiding duplication. Introspection guides the IPHRC toward promoting self-assessment, dialogue, and internal reform within Member States, with a special focus on continued learning and improvement. Prioritization enables the IPHRC to focus its efforts on strategically important issues with practical impact, taking into account the capabilities, needs, and evolving challenges of Member States. The incremental approach emphasizes taking practical, gradual steps to address human rights issues within their specific contexts, ensuring sustainable solutions and achievements. Credibility forms the cornerstone of all aspects of the IPHRC mandate, guaranteeing independence, objectivity, professional competence, and consistency in engaging with Member States and stakeholders.
In addition to the aforesaid guiding principles, the IPHRC’s mandate is firmly rooted in Islamic principles and values that emphasize human dignity, justice, equality, compassion, and social responsibility. By integrating such values and principles with globally recognized human rights standards, the IPHRC seeks to advance a balanced, comprehensive, and culturally sensitive approach to protecting and promoting human rights across all OIC Member States and Muslim communities worldwide.
Mission and Objectives:
IPHRC is dedicated to promoting the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights enshrined in the charters and declarations of the OIC, as well as in globally agreed human rights instruments — all in harmony with Islamic values. The IPHRC objectives and mandate encompass a broad array of activities, including the following:
- Providing advice to the OIC policymaking and decision-making bodies on all human rights-related matters;
- Conducting research studies in the field of human rights;
- Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms in Member States, as well as the fundamental rights of Muslim minorities and communities in non-Member States, in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards and norms, while adding value through Islamic principles of justice and equality;
- Promoting human rights in Member States through “technical cooperation and assistance in the field of human rights and awareness-raising”;
- Encouraging interfaith and Intercultural dialogue as an effective means to promote peace and harmony among civilizations, contributing to presenting the true image of Islam;
- Providing support to Member States and their national institutions to help them keep pace with their independent efforts to promote and protect human rights for all;
- Reviewing OIC human rights instruments and proposing ways to improve them as needed, including the possibility of recommending new mechanisms and charters;
- Promoting cooperation and business relations with the relevant United Nations and OIC bodies, as well as relevant regional human rights mechanisms;
- Promoting and supporting the role of accredited civil society organizations in Member States;
- Participating in election monitoring missions in Member States;
- Cooperating with Member States, at their request, in drafting human rights instruments. The IPHRC may also issue recommendations to improve the relevant OIC declarations and covenants on human rights, and propose ratification of proposed human rights charters and instruments within the OIC framework, in conformity with Islamic values and internationally agreed standards.
Priority Areas:
The IPHRC has identified priority areas of work, including monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, combating Islamophobia, monitoring the human rights conditions of Muslim minorities and communities in non-Member States, protecting and promoting the right to family, women’s rights, and children’s rights, the right to education with a focus on human rights education, and the right to development. The IPHRC has also assisted Member States across numerous human rights fields, including reviewing and preparing national legislation to ensure alignment with national obligations under international human rights instruments.
Future Projects
- Developing IPHRC Operational Strategy: The IPHRC will formulate its first operational strategy to assess its strengths and weaknesses and chart a clear roadmap to enhance effectiveness, operational methodologies, and institutional presence. The strategy will emphasize strengthening cooperation with international and regional human rights institutions.
- Establishing IPHRC Human Rights Journal: The IPHRC intends to launch a biannual human rights journal featuring contributions from IPHRC Members, international and regional human rights mechanisms, and partner institutions. The journal will serve as a knowledge platform for research, policy dialogue, and best practices.
Digital Transformation of IPHRC Secretariat:
The IPHRC will undertake a holistic digital transformation of its Secretariat to enhance communication with members, improve internal efficiency, and strengthen cybersecurity and data protection.