JEDDAH: Hissein Brahim Taha, the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, recently met Noura Al-Rashoud, executive director of the OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, in Jeddah. During the meeting, Taha congratulated Al-Rashoud on her appointment as the first woman to the position since the establishment of the commission. Taha expressed his confidence in Al-Rashoud to carry out her duties and offer consultations on human rights issues of concern to the organization, mainly the Palestinian cause, the rights of women and children, Islamophobia, Muslim minorities, the right to development and the permanent mechanism for monitoring the human rights situation in the Jammu and Kashmir region. The OIC chief also expressed his appreciation for the achievements of the IPHRC during previous years and the efforts made by its working team under its prior leadership. He stressed the OIC’s aim to achieve further progress related to the promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and democracy in accordance with the charter of the OIC and its 10-Year Program of Action 2025, as well as to represent the OIC in international forums, especially in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. For her part, Al-Rashoud reiterated her keenness to achieve the objectives of the commission and work with the OIC to further serve the interests of the Islamic world. Taha also affirmed the OIC’s eagerness to continue coordinating with and supporting the IPHRC and all OIC organs to achieve common goals in supporting human rights in the Muslim world — and the world at large — in line with both the OIC charter and the IPHRC statute.