Nineteen national human rights institutions (NHRIs) operate in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with some dating back to the early 1990s and others emerging in the 2000s. UN endorsement and support aimed at advancing human rights through these state-funded and mandated bureaucracies has failed to safeguard human rights, serving at best as modest promoters and at worst as tools to justify regimes authoritarian policies. Furthermore, regional intergovernmental organizations, notably the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have demonstrated limited effectiveness for human rights promotion and protection. The most promising avenue for advancing human rights in the MENA continues to be in the empowerment of civil society actors and social movements.

Through an analysis of institutional shortcomings and the potential of grassroots initiatives, Turan Kayaoglu, Ph.D. seeks to underscore the pivotal role of non-state actors in fostering meaningful progress in human rights protection and promotion within the MENA region.

Turan Kayaoglu, Ph.D., is a Professor of Political Science and Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs at University of Colorado Denver. His research primarily relates to intersections of human rights and religion in politics with a focus on Muslim societies. He published about two dozen of peer-reviewed articles, and he serves as editor-In-chief of the Muslim World Journal of Human Rights. His books include The Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Politics, Problems, and Potential, and Legal Imperialism: Sovereignty and Extraterritoriality in Japan, the Ottoman Empire, and China. Other notable works include co-editorship of The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Human Rights.

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This event is part of UNO Human Rights Week. Sponsored by the Goldstein Family Comunity Chair in Human Rights, Human Rights Week is an annual series of events intended to educate the community about human rights concerns and to highlight the work of scholars, students, and community organizations in promoting human rights. You can learn more about human rights week and register for events at: cas.unomaha.edu/gchr.