In the Arab world, what UN literature calls national human rights institutions (NHRIs) have emerged in recent years. A few of them—for example in Morocco and Palestine—have attained a degree of autonomy in confronting governments. Most Arab NHRIs, however, have been unable to establish legitimacy in society because they are seen as government organizations. In addition, the relationship between these institutions and independent human rights groups is often tense, especially when it comes to subjects such as civil rights, political reform, and constitutional reform.
All NHRIs in the Arab world were created by the ruling elite during two waves of activity over the past two decades. The first wave occurred in the 1990s, when governments in certain countries—Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Palestine, and Yemen—launched these institutions as part of a package of policies to shore up wavering political legitimacy at home and absorb social crises. The second wave came in the context of the international and regional debate over political reform during the past five years, which pushed countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar to establish these institutions.
All NHRIs in the Arab world were created by the ruling elite during two waves of activity over the past two decades. The first wave occurred in the 1990s, when governments in certain countries—Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Palestine, and Yemen—launched these institutions as part of a package of policies to shore up wavering political legitimacy at home and absorb social crises. The second wave came in the context of the international and regional debate over political reform during the past five years, which pushed countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar to establish these institutions.
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