This year marks the 70th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights: a milestone of great significance in the West and further beyond. But has its promise been realised – either where it was first mooted or indeed, universally?
I recently co-organised a conference at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies on a related theme as part of a broader long-term research interest of mine: the interchange between Islamic tradition, Muslim communities and the human rights discourse.
The conference had several key objectives: the first was to examine the underpinnings of the Islamic intellectual tradition and how those frames of reference engaged with the human rights discourse. The second was to see how that played out in particular geographical contexts such as Malaysia or the United States, and the third was to see how that engagement affected actual topics, such as medical ethics or gender.
But there was a very symbolic inclusion in the conference – and that was in our keynote speaker, Dr Mustafa Ceric, the grand mufti emeritus of Bosnia. It was poignant because the universal declaration of human rights is largely a western document, even if certain non-western actors were involved in the deliberations that led to its founding. And that western document, informed by western intellectual traditions that emerged in Europe, gained particular currency following the atrocities of the Second World War.
And yet, 50 years after the end of that brutal war – in the heart of Europe, the continent that gave the world the human rights declaration – genocide occurred.
It’s a critical point to note because on this continent, where so many of us declared "never again" to the horrors of the Holocaust and other atrocities, genocide did happen again. On this continent, where so many of us upheld the universal declaration of human rights as a great moral force, it was not a strong enough force to avert genocide in its own backyard. The Bosnian Muslims, the Bosniaks, would not be protected by that declaration, nor by any other.
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It’s an important historical truth to note, especially today, when so many continue to suffer around the globe, both within the Arab world and beyond. And likewise, it is important to hear from a witness such as Dr Ceric, our keynote speaker, who lived through the Bosnian genocide.
Yet in his closing remarks, there was no bitterness nor unconstructive victimhood. Dr Ceric bore witness to the trauma of his country and his community but he called people to the future, to build and to overcome. That, too, is a message worth hearing. It is one that today, in this region, needs to be heard again and again, because there has been much pain and trauma at the hands of tyrants and dictators. And their crimes ought not to be forgotten nor accountability swept to one side – but building the future waits for no-one.
But accountability should be at the heart of rebuilding. Accountability matters and if the human rights declarations that emerged over the last 70 years mean anything at all, they are supposed to be means by which the powerful are held to account by the less powerful or the powerless.
That’s a framework we must constantly keep in mind as we ask searching questions in the dialogue between Islamic intellectual tradition and human rights discourse. Those questions should not be put to one side nor cast in a way that makes them irrelevant or simply semantics. There are genuine philosophical questions of meaning at stake here, which we were privileged to discuss at this recent conference.
But as we do discuss those issues – on a practical level as well as a theoretical, paradigmatic one – we must also be aware that discussion does not take place in a vacuum. As those kinds of philosophical questions exist and are discussed, the Rohingya question remains. The rampant abuse by state authorities in different parts of the world remain, including by many Muslims. Full accountability for the genocide in Bosnia remains incomplete.
And yet, moving forward, as Dr Ceric noted, is not a luxury, nor a choice. It is a fundamental necessity – and one that requires us to never forget the victims, but to seek to build a world which first and foremost, contains fewer victims.
Dr HA Hellyer is a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC and the Royal United Services Institute in London
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Kolkata Knight Riders 245/6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 214/8 (20 ovs)
Kolkata won by 31 runs
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
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Favourite animals: All of them
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BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
Poacher
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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Translated by Arunava Sinha
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Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
The White Lotus: Season three
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
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This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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MATCH INFO
English Premiership semi-finals
Saracens 57
Wasps 33
Exeter Chiefs 36
Newcastle Falcons 5
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