Arab Human Development Report

"Freedom in its comprehensive sense, incorporates not only civil and political freedoms (in other words, liberation from oppression), but also the liberation from all factors that are inconsistent with human dignity"

After a six-month delay, the Arab division of the UN Development Program (UNDP) released its annual Arab Human Development Report. This followed a series of squabbles with the Bush administration who objected to some of the language included in the report. The administration particularly objected to references made in the report about the deteriorating human development situation in Iraq caused by the US invasion and subsequent occupation. The US administration even threatened to withdraw funding for the program if the language it objects to were not removed. This fits the pattern of an administration that can not and will not admit its mistakes nor will take responsibility for its actions. The administration is happy to fund critical appraisals of other governments and support unambiguous calls for reform as long as it is portrayed as the perfect messenger of God who is always right and hardly ever at fault.

Ironically, the attitude of the US administration, which played into the overwhelming perception in the world that this administration is trying to manipulate and control international institutions and programs to its advantage, strengthened the credibility of the report within the region. The authors of the report explained that the controversy may have actually given them a degree of legitimacy among Arabs, who might have otherwise dismissed them as apologists for American views. I also would like to add that this report was researched and written by some of the most forward-thinking and progressive intellectuals in the Arab world. If the US administration is at odds with their views, then one can safely say that no amount of public diplomacy by this administration can reverse its negative image in the Middle East.

Nonetheless, the UNDP finally released the report under its own name, after threatening to publish it through a private company. It did so with a disclaimer stating that the original language was essentially intact, although some terms may have been softened.

The Report concludes that:

"The situation of freedom and good governance in the Arab world ranges from deficient to seriously deficient. Despite sporadic improvements in the human rights situation in some Arab countries, the overall human rights picture in the Arab world is grave and deteriorating. The freedom and human rights of Arabs under occupation, particularly in Palestine, are being seriously violated. Even in independent Arab countries, there is a serious gap in freedom and good governance.

Authoritarian regimes severely restrict freedoms and the right to political participation and civil activity to ensure that no opposition arises to challenge their unrepresentative form of government. Constitutional rights are also violated as authoritarian regimes take control of the law and manipulate it to reinforce their grip on power and serve their own interests.

At the regional level, the Arab populations under occupation, particularly in Palestine, are deprived of many of their basic freedoms and their human rights. This has a direct impact on the situation in other Arab countries, and provides authoritarian Arab regimes with the excuse of an external threat to postpone reform and movement towards more representative forms of government. Also at the regional level, authoritarian regimes form a mutually reinforcing network that helps each of them to maintain its political control.

At the international level, the privileges enjoyed by some of the major powers allow them to preclude the adoption of international resolutions that would uphold provisions of international law, thus contributing to the violation of human rights in the Arab region. Moreover, some of those powers have helped authoritarian regimes consolidate their positions by striking alliances with them if the regimes are perceived as useful in ‘war on terror’.”

The Report recommends:

"Arab countries must sign declarations, covenants and treaties that together make up international law, and incorporate these provisions into their constitutions and reflect them in their legal systems.

A gradual and negotiated transition of power to representative forms of government. The first step in the process would be to unleash civil society forces and allow the three key freedoms of opinion, expression and association—a move that would generate a dynamic debate on how to achieve the transition.

Arab intellectual, political and civil society vanguards must shake off their apathy and contribute towards creating an intellectual framework and atmosphere conducive to freedom and good governance. This should lead to the emergence of an elite representing all sectors of society to spearhead the movement towards an Arab renaissance.

Reforming the political system to allow full participation through free and fair elections, the results of which must be fully respected.

Separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers, with the independence of the latter institutionally guaranteed.

Basic freedoms should be enshrined in constitutions and legally safeguarded so that they cannot be diminished or even abolished by legislatures, which may reflect a “tyrannical majority” seeking to oppress a minority."

The Report's most pressing priorities:

The Report suggests immediate action to be taken to reform governance practices, addressing three key priorities: (1) abolishing the state of emergency; (2) ending all forms of discrimination against any minority group; and (3) guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary.

Click HERE for a PDF version of the Executive Summary of the 2004 Arab Human Development Report (AHDR2004).