A Lecture in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolutions entitle: "The Independent Commission for Human rights (ICHR) and its role in developing the prevailed viewpoint on human rights"

Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies hosted Dr. Randa Seniora on Saturday 2 July 2011, as part of the Peace Studies and conflict resolutions course. Dr. Seniora presented detailed information about The Independent Commission for Human rights (ICHR) and its role in developing the prevailed viewpoint on human rights as one of the most important components in the Palestinian struggle. She showed that enhancing human rights and general freedom can’t be accomplished through international organizations, as much as being the product of national mechanisms which should be exerted before resorting to the international level. She talked about the history of establishing the ICHR, which was mandated to watch the institutions of Palestinian Authority, and their commitment to human rights, in order to report the president, the Palestinian Legislative Council and the government about the status of human rights especially in the PA institutions.   

Dr. Seniora explained the complexities of the current regulations and legislations in Palestine, some of which belong to the ottoman period, some to the British mandate, and to the Jordanian and Egyptian administrations, the Israeli military orders, beside the regulations that had been approved by the PLC during the PA era. She pointed out that the ICHR works within the national commissions’ law- Paris principles. She mentioned that they are working now to enforce a law that organizes the ICHR work, its procedures and its general commissioner, authorizing it to watch the three authorities, legislative, executive, judiciary, and to watch the work of the military apparatus.