Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
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The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states, with a collective population of over 1.6 billion as of 2008. The organisation states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony".
The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, English, and French.
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Human rights
OIC created the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam. While proponents claim it is not an alternative to the UDHR, but rather complementary to it, Article 24 states that "all the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration are subject to the Islamic Shari'ah" and Article 25 follows with "the Islamic Shari'ah is the only source of reference for the explanation or clarification of any of the articles of this Declaration." Attempts to have it adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council have met increasing criticism, because of its contradiction of the UDHR, including from liberal Muslim groups. Critics of the CDHR state bluntly that it is "manipulation and hypocrisy," "designed to dilute, if not altogether eliminate, civil and political rights protected by international law" and attempts to "circumvent these principles [of freedom and equality]."
Human Rights Watch says that OIC has "fought doggedly" and successfully within the United Nations Human Rights Council to shield states from criticism, except when it comes to criticism of Israel. For example, when independent experts reported violations of human rights in the 2006 Lebanon War, "state after state from the OIC took the floor to denounce the experts for daring to look beyond Israeli violations to discuss Hezbollah's as well." OIC demands that the council "should work cooperatively with abusive governments rather than condemn them." HRW responds that this works with those who are willing to cooperate; others exploit the passivity.
The OIC has been criticised for failing to discuss the treatment of ethnic minorities within member countries, such as the oppression of the Kurds in Syria and Turkey, the Ahwaz in Iran, the Hazaras in Afghanistan, the 'Al-Akhdam' in Yemen, or the Berbers in Algeria.
Along with the revisions of the OIC's charter in 2008, the member states created the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC). The IPHRC is an advisory body, independent from the OIC, composed of eighteen individuals from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds. The IPHRC has the power to monitor human rights within the member states and facilitates the integration of human rights into all OIC mandates. The IPHRC also aids in the promotion of political, civil, and economic rights in all member states.
In September 2017, the Independent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC strongly condemned the human rights violations against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
LGBT rights
In March 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council held its first discussion of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, following the 2011 passage of a resolution supporting LGBT rights proposed by the Republic of South Africa. Pakistan's representative addressed the session on behalf of the OIC, denouncing the discussion and questioning the concept of sexual orientation, which he said was being used to promote "licentious behaviour ... against the fundamental teachings of various religions, including Islam". He stated that the council should not discuss the topic again. Most Arab countries and some African ones later walked out of the session.
Nonetheless, OIC members Albania, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone have signed a UN Declaration supporting LGBT rights in the General Assembly. Whilst Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey had legalized homosexuality.
In May 2016, 57 countries including Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation requested the removal of LGBT associations from 2016 High Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, sparking protests by the United States, Canada, the European Union and LGBT communities.
Structure
Structure and Organization
The OIC system consists of:
The Islamic Summit Conference
The highest policy-making organ, attended by the Kings and the Heads of State and Government of the member states, convened every three years.
The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers
It meets once a year to examine a progress report on the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by the Islamic Summit.
The Permanent Secretariat
It is the executive organ of the Organization, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies, and is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Current secretary is Abdelouahed Belkeziz, from Morocco, in office since January 1, 2001. His term ends on December 31 2004; he will be replaced by Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, from Turkey, fromJanuary 1, 2005.
Standing Committees
- Al Quds (Jerusalem) Committee.
<li>Standing Committee on Information and Cultural Affairs (COMIAC).
<li>Standing Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC).
<li>Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).
<li>Islamic Committee for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs.
<li>Permanent Finance Committee.
<li>Financial Control Organ.
</ul>
Subsidiary Organs
-
<li>The Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries, located in Ankara, Turkey.
<li>The Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), located in Istanbul, Turkey.
<li>The Islamic University of Technology, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
<li>The Islamic Center for the Development of Trade, located in Casablanca, Morocco.
<li>The Islamic Fiqh Academy, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
<li>The Executive Bureau of the Islamic Solidarity Fund and its Waqf, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
<li>The Islamic University of Niger, located in Niamey, Niger.
<li>The Islamic University of Uganda, located in Mbale, Uganda.
Specialized Institutions
-
<li>The Islamic Development Bank (IDB), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
<li>The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), located in Rabat, Morocco.
<li>The Islamic States Broadcasting Organization (ISBO) and the International Islamic News Agency (IINA), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Affiliated institutions
-
<li>Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), located in Karachi, Pakistan.
<li>Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
<li>Sports Federation of Islamic Solidarity Games, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
<li>Islamic committee of the International Crescent (ICIC), located in Benghazi, Libya.
<li>Islamic Shipowners Association (ISA), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
<li>World Federation of International Arab-Islamic Schools, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
<li>International Association of Islamic Banks (IAIB), located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
[edit]Members
Full members State Year Afghanistan 1969 Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of 1969 Chad, Republic of 1969 Egypt, Arab Republic of 1969 Guinea, Republic of 1969 Indonesia, Republic of 1969 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1969 Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of 1969 Kuwait, State of 1969 Lebanon, Republic of 1969 Libya, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1969 Malaysia 1969 Mali, Republic of 1969 Mauritania, Islamic Republic of 1969 Morocco, Kingdom of 1969 Niger, Republic of 1969 Pakistan, Islamic Republic of 1969 Palestine, State of 1969 Yemen, Republic of 1969 Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of 1969 Senegal, Republic of 1969 Sudan, Republic of the 1969 Somalia, Democratic Republic of 1969 Tunisia, Republic of 1969 Turkey, Republic of 1969 Bahrain, State of 1970 Oman, Sultanate of 1970 Qatar, State of 1970 Syrian Arab Republic 1970 United Arab Emirates, State of 1970 Sierra Leone, Republic of 1972 Bangladesh, People's Republic of 1974 Gabon, Republic of 1974 Gambia, Republic of the 1974 Guinea-Bissau, Republic of 1974 Uganda, Republic of 1974 Burkina Faso 1975 Cameroon, Republic of 1975 Comoros, Federal Islamic Republic of the 1976 Iraq, Republic of 1976 Maldives, Republic of 1976 Djibouti, Republic of 1978 Benin, Republic of 1982 Brunei Dar-us-Salaam, Sultanate of 1984 Nigeria, Federal Republic of 1986 Azerbaijan, Republic of 1991 Albania, Republic of 1992 Kyrgyzstan, Republic of 1992 Tajikistan, Republic of 1992 Turkmenistan, Republic of 1992 Mozambique, Republic of 1994 Kazakhstan, Republic of 1995 Uzbekistan, Republic of 1995 Surinam, Republic of the 1996 Togo, Republic of 1997 Guyana, Republic of 1998 Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of 2001 Observer States Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of 1994 Central African Republic 1997 Thailand, Kingdom of 1998 Observer Muslim Organizations and Communities Moro National Liberation Front 1977 Turkish Cypriot State 1979 Observer International Organizations League of Arab States 1975 United Nations 1976 Non-Aligned Movement 1977 Organization of African Unity 1977 Economic Cooperation Organization 1995 [edit]Past Islamic Summit Conferences
number date country place 1st 1969, September 22-September 25 Morocco Rabat</tr> 2nd 1974, February 22-February 24 Pakistan Lahore</tr> 3rd 1981, January 25-January 29 Saudi Arabia Mecca and Taif</tr> 4th 1984, January 16-January 19 Morocco Casablanca</tr> 5th 1987, January 26-January 29 Kuwait Kuwait City</tr> 6th 1991, December 9-December 11 Senegal Dakar</tr> 7th 1994, December 13-December 15 Morocco Casablanca</tr> extraordinary 1997, March 23 Pakistan Islamabad</tr> 8th 1997, December 9-December 11 Iran Tehran</tr> 9th 2000, November 12-November 13 Qatar Doha</tr> extraordinary 2003, March 5 Qatar Doha</tr> 10th 2003, October 16-October 17 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur</tr> </table>
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