Beyond issues facing individual countries, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies blames Arab governments and member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference for working in concert within UN institutions to undermine international mechanisms and standards for the protection of human rights.
The CIRHS is an independent body whose work is respected by western-based human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Its report, entitled Bastion of Impunity, Mirage of Reform, attacks the Arab League for supporting the Sudanese regime, which is criticized for "blatant contempt for justice, impunity and a lack of accountability, and President Omar al-Bashir, who refuses to appear before the international criminal court in connection with war crimes in
It further accuses the 21-member league of using the principle of national sovereignty as a pretext to remain silent about or collaborate on grave human rights violations in several Arab states.
It says that while only limited progress has been made in gender equality, Arab governments use this "to burnish their image before the international community while simultaneously evading democratic and human rights reform measures required … for all of their citizens".
The report highlights "grave and ongoing" Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, especially in the Gaza Strip, in a year which witnessed the continuing blockade of the territory and an Israeli offensive which led to 1,400 deaths, 83% of them civilians.
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