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HUQUQ | Human Rights in Context

HUQUQ, which means, among other things, rights, is more than human rights. The Arabic word, HUQUQ, is derived from the root from which the words for “fact”, “truth”, “reality”,  are derived. The connection is remarkable.

The HUQUQ Project, in its digital and print forms, is the culmination of decades of research and teaching on the subject of human rights. Building on the vast body of knowledge covering human rights since the Enlightenment that shone on the Western world, examining the rights legacy of the Islamic civilization since the 7th century, and reflecting on historical and current events that touch on rights, we aim to remove the word “Human” from “Human Rights” to be able to advance a holistic vision for rights that can be claimed by everything by virtue of their existence. The expansion of the notion of rights is not an accommodation, it is a remedial measure stemming from the idea that the privileging of humans, especially, “certain humans” is the root cause of abuse and degradation of a universe that is shared by all–living and non-living beings.

This holistic vision is the outcome of applying the principles of Systems Thinking Framework to “human rights” as a concept and as lived experience across cultures and over time.

— Prof. Ahmed Souaiaia; PI, HUQUQ Research and Mentoring Project

HUQUQ KNOWLEDGE BASE…

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HUQUQ Journal

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Record Keeping and History

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The crime of Apartheid
Event Description

Apartheid is a system of segregation and discrimination on grounds of race. In South Africa, Apartheid (“apartness” in the language of Afrikaans) was a system of legislation that upheld segregationist policies against non-white citizens of South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, its all-white government immediately began enforcing existing policies of racial segregation.

Hendrik Verwoerd, also called the Architect of the Apartheid, was Prime Minister and leader of the National Party from 1958-66 and was main actor who shaped the implementation of apartheid policy and practices.

The three most important features of the legislation that sustained Apartheid  were the Race Classification Act, Every citizen suspected of not being European was classified according to race, the Mixed Marriages Act, which prohibited marriage between people of different races, and the Group Areas Act.

Motive and justification Apartheid:

Strategists in the National Party invented apartheid system as a means to solidify their control over the economic and social systems. Initially, the aim of the apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation. With the enactment of apartheid laws in 1948, racial discrimination was institutionalized.

 

Location
South Africa
Date of Event
Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid...
Event Description

About 6.8 million Jewish Israelis and 6.8 million Palestinians live today between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River, an area encompassing Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), the latter made up of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Throughout most of this area, Israel is the sole governing power; in the remainder, it exercises primary authority alongside limited Palestinian self-rule. Across these areas and in most aspects of life, Israeli authorities methodically privilege Jewish Israelis and discriminate against Palestinians. Laws, policies, and statements by leading Israeli officials make plain that the objective of maintaining Jewish Israeli control over demographics, political power, and land has long guided government policy. In pursuit of this goal, authorities have dispossessed, confined, forcibly separated, and subjugated Palestinians by virtue of their identity to varying degrees of intensity. In certain areas, as described in this report, these deprivations are so severe that they amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.

 

Location
Palestine
Date of Event

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Overview: HUQUQ