On the eve of the International Human Rights Day, Ibrahim Boughali, President of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, has called for prioritizing economic, social, and cultural rights within the Arab world. Boughali, who also serves as the Speaker of the Algerian People’s National Assembly, emphasized the critical importance of rights such as education, healthcare, employment, and adequate housing.
In a statement released Tuesday, Boughali described these rights as ‘daily necessities’ essential for preserving human dignity and achieving comprehensive, sustainable development across the region. He highlighted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a historical document and a universal ethical and legal reference for protecting fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, liberty, security, justice, and equality before the law.
Boughali reaffirmed the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union’s commitment to strengthening human rights culture in the Arab world. He advocated for supporting national institutions, integrating human rights principles into educational curricula and media discourse, and incorporating them into development plans. These efforts, he stated, would contribute to building more just and tolerant societies.
He commended the ongoing efforts of Arab states in promoting human rights and urged national and regional parliaments to seize the occasion to launch practical initiatives. These initiatives should include national and regional action plans and expanded partnerships with civil society organizations and relevant regional and international institutions. Such collaboration, he argued, would enhance the Arab world’s role as an active partner in the global human rights system.
Amidst escalating armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, and discriminatory practices worldwide, Boughali called upon the international community to fulfill its moral and legal responsibilities. He urged them to halt human rights violations wherever they occur, ensure respect for international humanitarian law, protect civilians from violence, deprivation, and displacement, and hold perpetrators of serious violations accountable.
Boughali also reiterated the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union’s unwavering solidarity with peoples under occupation, conflict, or blockade, particularly the Palestinian people. He reaffirmed their support for the inalienable right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital.
