1.    The Standing Specialized Committee for Legal Affairs, Human Rights and the Environment held its 5th meeting in Abu Dhabi, State of the United Arab Emirates on 16 January 2011. Due to the absence of Mr. Mohsen El Tamimi, Representative of the Tunisian Chamber of Deputies, the committee was chaired by Dr. Zeinab Radwan, Representative of the Egyptian People’s Assembly.

2.    The meeting was attended by Their Excellencies:
Arab Group:

•    Dr. Zeinab Radwan, Representative of the People’s Assembly of the Arab Republic of Egypt
•    Mr. Khamis Said El Suleimi, Representative of the Shoura Council of the Sultanate of Oman
•    Mr. Farouq Abu El Shamat, Representative of the People’s Assembly of the Syrian Arab Republic

Asian Group:

•    Mr. Muh Unais Ali Hisyam, Representative of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia
•    Mr. Alim Isik, Representative of the Turkish Grand National Assembly
•    Absent from the meeting were the representatives of the assemblies of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran

African Group:

•    Mr. Matsang Seyi Mama, Representative of the Council of the Republic of Cameroon
•    Mr. Mactar Mbacke, Representative of the Council of the Republic of Senegal
•    Mr. Almoustafa Haussa, Representative of the Council of the Republic of Mali
•    Absent from the meeting were the representatives of the councils of Chad and Niger

3.    Mr. Zahid Hassan Qureshi, Director of the Union’s Conference Department represented the General Secretariat, welcoming the Committee Members on behalf of the Secretary General.

4.    The Committee reviewed the agenda and its six items. The discussions included interventions by the Members that led, at the end of the meeting, to the issuance of the following recommendations that are to be submitted to the PUIC Council:

4.1    The Committee affirms the importance of cooperation between the PUIC and the OIC in implementing the ten-year program of action in the intellectual, political, economic, scientific and educational domains in such a way as to preserve and guarantee the Union’s independence.

4.2    The Committee stresses the PUIC request to obtain observer status at the United Nations and hopes for its speedy implementation and activation.

4.3    Affirms that Islam was the first to prescribe human rights through the principles it established, namely the principles of equality and respect for human dignity, liberty, justice and social equity, in a more comprehensive way than all international conventions, making them a doctrine and way of life to be followed by man during his lifetime in his dealings with his fellow human beings, for his own wellbeing and that of human communities.

4.4    Affirms the importance of teaching Islamic pedagogy, culture and civilization and the fiqh of diversity in accordance with the Sharia at the various educational stages and that Member States cooperate on this matter in order to strengthen the values of tolerance, human rights and interfaith and intercultural dialogue, renounce radicalism and extremism and instill pride in the Islamic identity.

4.5    Calls for the importance of reviewing the national legislations of Member States to ensure that they are compatible with the living reality with its changes, on the one hand, and with the human principles and rights that Islam called for, on the other.

4.6    The Islamic States call for striving relentlessly to expand the scope of political participation, ensure equality, civil liberties and social justice, strengthen transparency, accountability, and combat corruption.

4.7    Strongly rejects and condemns the policy of double standards and selectivity in dealing with all issues related to human rights and basic freedoms at all national, regional and global levels.

4.8    Deems it important to make full use of all audiovisual and written media to serve and support the causes of the Islamic Ummah, disseminate the tolerant principles and values of Islam, and correct misconceptions regarding Islam and its people.

4.9    Calls upon the Islamic parliaments to take on the responsibility of promoting respect for and strengthening human rights through laws and legislations they issue such that these rights do not remain mere ideas or slogans that are not applied but rather, an indivisible part of the effective legislative and cultural structure of the country.

4.10    Affirms the importance of calling for and working to protect migrant labor through national legislations and laws, while focusing on ensuring equality and securing their rights in accordance with the provisions of the lofty Islamic principles of human rights.

4.11    Calls for endeavoring by all means to prevent human trafficking and trade.

4.12    Calls for the use of clean renewable energy to preserve the environment and human life and the safe disposal of solid and liquid waste.

4.13    Calls upon the United Nations to take all measures to prevent countries from dumping their waste in other countries and to make them legally accountable, since this constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights and has a destructive impact on the environment.