International Studies Journal (ISJ)

International Studies Journal (ISJ)

Recent Measures of The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Developing Women’s Status

Document Type : Original Independent Original Article

Author
Law Faculty, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran
Abstract
Improving the status and position of women, and identifying effective pathways to address the associated challenges, has for decades been a key priority across diverse societies, engaging numerous international and non-governmental organizations. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as the only comprehensive intergovernmental body committed to Islamic teachings at the international level, has actively contributed to ongoing global efforts in this domain. This study examines first-hand OIC documents up to 2024, with a focus on activities during the last decade, to explore whether these initiatives have evolved into a particularist and transregional model in normative and institutional terms, or remain limited compared to global standards. The findings suggest that while OIC activities in the field of women have shown increased quantitative and qualitative momentum, they largely operate within a soft-law framework lacking binding conventions and effective enforcement mechanisms. Moreover, internal divergences across OIC institutions and member states, coupled with external pressures, have so far prevented the emergence of a coherent or influential model for women’s rights promotion. As such, the OIC has yet to establish a significant normative or operational presence either within its member states or on the broader transregional stage.
Keywords
Subjects

1.        Adam, A. (2014). Understanding the role of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in human rights (FORUM-ASIA Working Paper Series: Asian Perspectives on International Human Rights Landscapes No. 1). Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development.
2.      Ali, T., & Sultan, H. (2023). Emerging role of the organization of Islamic cooperation in the global governance since 1969. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 10(1), 2202052. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2023.2202052
3.        Aljazeera. (2019). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019
4.        Blitt, R. C. (2017). Equality and nondiscrimination through the eyes of an international religious organization: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) response to women's rights. Wisconsin International Law Journal, 34(4), 755–796.
5.        Blitt, R. C. (2018). The Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) response to sexual orientation and gender identity rights: A challenge to equality and nondiscrimination under international law. University of Tennessee Legal Studies Research Paper, (357). https://ir.law.utk.edu/utklaw_facpubs/173
6.        Bozorgmehri, M. (2017). The human rights in OIC, a gradually movement but in progress. Journal of Politics and Law, 10(2), 29.
7.        Bozorgmehri, M., Mollaye, V., & Ghasemi, H. (2022). The evolution of women's rights in the Islamic world in the last two decades with regard to development indicators with emphasis on the approach of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Political Sociology of Islamic World, Shahed University, 9(2), 19. [Season and year adjusted to match serial number]
8.        Chase, A. T. (2015). The Organization of Islamic Cooperation: A case study of international organization’s impact on human rights. Danish Institute for Human Rights.
9.        Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. (2016). Compatibility of Sharia law with the European Convention on Human Rights: Can states parties to the convention be signatories of the Cairo Declaration? (Report No. AS/Jur(2016)28).
10.      Equitas - International Centre for Human Rights Education. (2009). Women’s rights in Muslim communities: A resource guide for human rights educators.
11.      Farrar, S. (2014). The Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Forever on the periphery of public international law? Oxford University Press.
12.      Gutiérrez Castillo, V. L. (2014). The Organization of Islamic Cooperation in contemporary international society. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306092229
13.      Häusler, K. (2016). Human rights, democracy and rule of law: Different organizations, different conceptions? (Work Package No. 3). European Commission.
14.      Ikehata, F. (2019). Does the Islamic world have a platform to express its international public opinion: Case studies on Jordan and the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation). Kyoto Bulletin of Islamic Area Studies, 12, 118–135.
15.      Kayaoglu, T. (2013). A rights agenda for the Muslim world: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s evolving human rights framework (Analysis Paper No. 6). Brookings Doha Center.
16.      Kayaoglu, T. (2019). The OIC’s human rights regime. In M. J. Petersen & T. Kayaoglu (Eds.), The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and human rights (pp. 65-87). University of Pennsylvania Press.
17.      Lahssen, M. (2002). Basic needs for women education. Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
18.      Mehrpour, H. (2010). Charter of Islamic human rights: Past evaluation and future prospect. In M. H. Mozaffari (Ed.), Charter of Islamic human rights: Challenges and mechanisms (pp. 17-36). Imam Sadiq University.
19.      Mozaffari, M. H. (2009). Muslim states and human rights. Center for Rethinking of Islam and Iran.
20.      Mutua, M. (2007). Standard setting in human rights: Critique and prognosis. Human Rights Quarterly, 29(3), 547–630. https://doi.org/10.1353/hrq.2007.0027
21.   OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission. (2016). Jurisprudential leaflet on the divine justice on women and men’s inheritance in Islamic Sharia [Report of the 9th Regular Session]. https://oic-iphrc.org/en/data/docs/studies/416234.pdf
22.   OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission. (2019). Gender equality, gender equity and gender justice: An Islamic and human rights perspective [Adopted by the 15th IPHRC Regular Session].
23.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), International Islamic Fiqh Academy. (2023). Resolutions and recommendations of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy: Sessions 1-25. Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
24.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Women Development Organization. (2023). Resolutions of the second ordinary session of the Women Development Organization (WDO). Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
25.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2008, March 13-14). Charter of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. 11th Session of The Islamic Summit Conference, Dakar, Republic of Senegal.
26.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). Adoption of the amended OPAAW and its annexed implementation mechanisms (Resolution No. 3/6-W). https://www.oic-oci.org/docdown
27.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). Istanbul Declaration. The Sixth Ministerial Conference on The Role of Women in The Development of The OIC Member States (OIC/6-WCOD/2016/DEC/FINAL). Republic of Turkey.
28.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). OIC – 2025: Programme of action: Progress report on implementation of OIC-2025: Programme of action (2016-2017).
29.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). OIC plan of action for the advancement of women (OPAAW). Sixth Session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States. Republic of Turkey.
30.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). OIC-2025: Programme of action (OIC/SUM-13/2016/POA-Final). https://www.oic-oci.org/docdown
31.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). Resolution on the status of women in OIC member states in light of the current challenges.
32.   Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). Resolution on the status of women in OIC member states in light of the current challenges (OIC/6-WCOD/2016/RES./FINAL). Sixth Session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States.
33.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2017). OIC – 2025: Programme of action: Implementation plan 2016 – 2025 (Resolution 1/44-POA).
34.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2018). Report of the secretary general submitted to the seventh session of the ministerial conference on women’s role in the development of the OIC member states (OIC/CFM-37/2010/CS/RES/FINAL).
35.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2020). Resolution no. 63/47-POL on adoption of the Cairo Declaration of the organization of Islamic Cooperation on human rights. 47th Session of The Council of Foreign Ministers. Republic of Niger.
36.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Cairo Declaration. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women: Preserving the Achievement of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond (OIC/WMC-8/2021/DECLARATION). Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
37.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 10/8-W: On promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for women and girls. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
38.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 11/8-W: On joint action to support and empower the refugee and displaced women. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
39.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 12/8-W: On universal social protection for women and girls. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
40.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 2/8-W: On women protection and empowerment in member states for adaptation and recovery during pandemic and exceptional circumstances. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
41.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 3/8-W: On ensuring sustainability of gains in women’s empowerment and gender equality between women and men in OIC member states. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
42.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 4/8-W: On developing a policy on equality between women and men for the OIC. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
43.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 5/8-W: On mainstreaming the perspective of equality between women and men in COVID-19 strategies and policies. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
44.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 6/8-W: On women consultative council of the OIC ministerial conference on women. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
45.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 7/8-W: On promoting women’s economic empowerment. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
46.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 8/8-W: On directing religious and media discourse towards protection and promotion of women’s rights. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
47.      Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2021). Resolution no. 9/8-W: On coordinating mainstreaming of the perspective of equality between women and men throughout the OIC system. Eighth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women. Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.
48.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2005). Ten-year programme of action to meet the challenges facing the Muslim Ummah.
49.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2006). Report of the first ministerial conference on women’s role in the development of OIC Member States (OIC/1-WCOD/2006/REP.FINAL). Republic of Turkey.
50.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2008a). Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conferencehttps://www.oic-oci.org/upload/documents/charter/en/oic_charter_2018_en.pdf
51.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2008b). Report of the second ministerial conference on the role of women in the development of OIC Member States (OIC/2-WCOD/2008/REP.FINAL). Arab Republic of Egypt.
52.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2010a). Statute of the OIC women development organisation (OIC/37-CFM/2010/ORG/SG.REP.2).
53.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2010b). Tehran Declaration. The Third Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States: Women, Family and Economy (OIC/3-WCOD/2010/DEC). Islamic Republic of Iran.
54.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2012). Jakarta Declaration. The Fourth Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in Development of the OIC Member States: Strengthening Women’s Participation and Roles in Economic Development in OIC Member States (OIC/4-WCOD/2012/DEC/FINAL). Indonesia.
55.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2013). Report of the secretary general on the implementation of the OIC ten year program of action. Fortieth Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM). Republic of Guinea.
56.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (2016). Resolution on the status of women in OIC member states in light of the current challenges. Sixth Session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States (OIC/6-WCOD/2016/RES./FINAL). Republic of Turkey.
57.   Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). General Department of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs. (2015). A comparative study of OPAAW (OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women) and CEDAW (Convention on the Eradication of Discrimination Against Women).
58.   Petersen, M. J. (2012). Islamic or universal human rights? The OIC’s independent human rights commission. Danish Institute for International Studies.
59.   Petersen, M. J., & Kayaoglu, T. (2019). The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and human rights: The politics of consensus. University of Pennsylvania Press.
60.   Saffarinia, M. (2019a). The approach of Islamic countries bordering the Persian Gulf to international standards of family law. Comparative Studies on Islamic and Western Law2(3), 123–142.
61.   Saffarinia, M. (2019b). The approach of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation toward women's rights. Comparative Studies on Islamic and Western Law6(2), 25–54.
62.   Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries. (2013). The state of gender in OIC member countries. Republic of Turkey.
63.   Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries. (2015). State of gender and family well-being in OIC member countries. Republic of Turkey.
64.   Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries. (2016). State of gender in OIC countries: Prospects and challenges. Republic of Turkey.
65.   Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries. (2021). OIC women and development report: Progress towards the implementation of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW). Republic of Turkey.
66.      United Nations Human Rights Committee. (2004). General comment no. 31: The nature of the general legal obligation imposed on states parties to the covenant (CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add. 13).
67.   Women Development Organisation. (2024). Women and climate change: The status of gender equality and women’s empowerment in OIC member stateshttps://www.wdo-odf.org/en