The constitution of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR)
The Constitution of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR)
Article (1)
The Establishment of the NSHR
Establishing an independent national organization (Committee) concerned by human rights entitled “ The National Society for Human Rights” which enjoys an independent nominal character granting it the right to possession and action, and having its headquarters in the city of Riyadh, and may establish branches within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Article (2)
The Objectives of the NSHR
1- Protecting the human rights in accordance to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is based on the Quran and the teachings of Mohammad and in accordance with the applied regulations, along with the Declarations and Covenants of Human Rights issued by the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations and its agencies and specialized committees, so long as they do not contradict with Islamic Shariah (Islamic Laws).
2- Cooperating with the International Organizations working in the same field.
3- Standing against injustice, abuse, violence, torture, and intolerance.
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Article (3)
The Functions of the NSHR
1- To ensure the enforcement of rules of the Constitution and the internal regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pertaining to human rights.
2- To ensure the fulfillment of the obligation of the Kingdom concerning issues of human rights, according to the contents of the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam, the charter of the United Nations, and international covenants and documents of human rights.
3- To receive complaints and grievances, follow them up with competent entities, and to verify claims regarding violations and abuses of human rights.
4- To present views and proposals to governmental and non-governmental bodies for teaching and dissemination of information in the field of human rights.
5- To handle human rights issues dealt with by international bodies, in general, and by non-governmental international organizations, in particular.
6- To study International covenants and documents of international human rights and their applications.
7- To conduct international, regional, and local conferences, symposia, and courses pertaining to human rights.
8- To encourage regional and international cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights.
9- To publish specialized publications and releases on human rights.
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Article (4)
The Bodies of the NSHR
a- The General Assembly
b- The Executive Council
c- The Presidency of the Society
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Article (5)
The General Assembly
The General Assembly shall consist of all the founding members and the members who have joined later in according to the recommendation of the Executive Council and the approval of the General Assembly in accordance with the provisions list of membership but this list should specify the duties and responsibilities of the members of the Society, and how to account the member in case of violating any of his duties.
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Article (6)
The Functions of the General Assembly
The General Assembly shall perform and undertake the following duties and tasks:
- To adopt the Constitution of the Society and any amendments thereof.
- To elect the members of the Executive Council.
- To elect the President of the Society and the Vice Presidents four years subject to renewal twice.
- To adopt the annual report of the Society’s activities and the periodic report of the human rights conditions.
- To appoint the Comptroller and determine his remuneration.
- To adopt the report of the Comptroller.
- To adopt the annual budget.
- To dissolve the Society.
- To approve adding new members in accordance to the provision list of membership.
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Article (7)
Meetings of the General Assembly
a- The General Assembly holds its meetings once every year at the invitation of its Chairman and accompanied by agenda of the meeting.
b- The General Assembly meeting will be valid by the presence of the majority of the members and in case the quorum of the attendance does not exist they should called for a second meeting in a maximum period of one month, and the second meeting will be valid in the presence of a third of the members to be among them the Chairman.
c- The General Assembly may hold exceptional meetings when necessary at the invitation of the Executive Council or at the request of one-third of the members of the General Assembly.
d- Proxy among the members is not allowed.
e- Decisions are taken by the majority votes of the members present. In case of equal division of votes, the president shall have the deciding vote.
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Article (8)
The Executive Council
a- The Executive Council shall consist of nine members including the President and the Vice Presidents.
b- The membership period of the Council is four years subject to renewal.
c- In case a vacancy occurs for any reason, a replacement shall be assigned by a decision of the General Assembly to fill such vacancy, in order to complete the period of his predecessor.
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Article (9)
The Functions of the Executive Council
The Executive Council manages the work of the Society in a manner that achieves the goals for which the Society was established as provided for in the Constitution. In particular, the Executive Council may carry out the following:
- To suggest amending the Constitution of the Society.
- To propose internal regulations relating to the Society.
- To suggest the approval of the final accounts in view of the report of the Comptroller.
- To study the annual budget, the income and expenditure accounts, and any other statements pertaining to the financial status of the Society.
- To set up permanent and interim committees and to approve hiring the experts and consultants, and the President of the Society has to delegate that.
- To recommend the adoption of the annual report relating to the Society
- To recommend the adoption of the periodic report of human rights conditions – before it was published – according to the regulations set by in this regard, to taking into account the following:
a- The committee has to be formed of at least three members from among the members of the General Assembly and will be responsible for preparing the report.
b- The report should be clear and precise, objective and its goal should be the reform and development.
c- The contents of the report have to be related to matters that fall within the competence of the Society.
d- The accuracy of the information that will be included in the report by taking the visions of the concerned entities about the notes that are related to its mandate that awaits its response to what are inquiring about it for a period of not less than thirty days.
e- The report has to contain specific and clear recommendations to address the included notes.
- Appointing a spokesman for the Society. To illustrate, the Society’s statements and declarations that are relating to public affairs have to be issued to the media by its Chairman or the official spokesman or the Executive Council in accordance with the terms of reference of each of them that are mentioned in the regulations of the communication with the media approved by the Executive Council in this regard.
- Adopting the regulations of communicating with the media.
- The recommendation to adding new members to the General Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the list of membership, and may approve the accession of new members to the Society without having the right to vote in the General Assembly.
- Approving selling and purchasing the fixed and movable assets, as well as studying the Society’s investments and deciding what referred to it about it.
- Approving the acceptance of the donations, gifts, bequests, endowments and grants, and any other resources that do not contradict with the objectives of the Society and in accordance with the regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Any other tasks assigned to it by the General Assembly.
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Article (10)
The Meetings of the Executive Council
a- The Council shall hold one meeting every month, or when necessarily, and it may hold special meetings as appropriate at the invitation of its President or at the request of one third of the members.
b- The meeting of the Executive Council shall be valid by the presence of the majority of its members. Proxy is not allowed amongst members. Decisions have to be taken by the majority of the present members, and in case of equality, the Chairman shall have the deciding vote.
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Article (11)
Functions of the President of the Society
a- To manage the affairs of the Society.
b- To preside over the meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Council.
c- To represent the Society before the International Organizations and other parties.
d- To represent the Society before the judicial authorities and he has the right to hire other on to do so.
e- To sign the decisions and contracts of the Society.
f- To pursue the implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Council.
g- The Chairman of the Society may delegate some of these functions to whom he wants from the members of the Society or any of its staff.
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Article (12)
The Vice Presidents
a- The Chairman of The Society shall have two Vice Presidents to be appointed by the General Assembly as proposed by the President; one of them is the Vice President of Family Affairs.
b- The Vice President enjoys the powers delegated to him by the President, and undertakes the tasks of the President during his absence.
c- The Vice President of Family Affairs undertakes the delegated authorities for family affairs.
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Article (13)
The Committees of the Society
1- The Monitor and Follow Up Committee: to monitor and follow up work pertaining to the achievement of the Society goals, to receive grievances and complaints, and to verify claims of violations and abuse of regulations.
2- Studies and Consultations Committee; to undertake studies and provide consultations regarding documents, regulations, and procedures in the field of human rights.
3- Culture and Publication Committee; to raise awareness, conduct symposia and conferences, and disseminate information regarding human rights.
4- Family Committee, for family affairs.
5- Finance and Investment Committee; to supervise the Society’s monetary and ocular investments, and to study the final accounts, the yearly budget, the income and expenditure accounts, and any other tasks delegated to it by the Executive Council pertaining to the finances of the Society.
Moreover the Executive Council may establish other committees as appropriate.
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Article (14)
Resources of the Society
1- The Society’s income is generated from publications, bulletins, and revenue generated from symposia and fairs.
2- Revenues generated from property investments of the mobile and immobile properties of the Society.
3- Gifts, testaments, Awqaf (endowments), grants, and other resources that do not contradict with the objectives of the Society.
4- Membership fees, if any.
5- State’s subsidy, if any.
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Article (15)
The Budget
The fiscal year of the Society starts on the 11th day of Capricorn of each year, and ends on the 10th of it.
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Article (16)
Dissolving the Society
If the Society is dissolved for any reason, all of its assets and properties after liquidation shall be distributed to the closet charity or humanitarian society within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose objectives do not contradict with the objectives of the Society.
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Article (17)
Records of the Society
The Society shall maintain the following records and files:
a- Record of Members, in which the members names, addresses, professions, and date of membership, in addition to any other information that concern the members, are recorded.
b- Record of Decisions, in which the decisions of the Society are recorded.
c- Record of Accounts, in which the incomes and expenditures of the Society are recorded.
d- Record of Properties, in which moneys and mobile and immobile properties of the Society are recorded.
e- Record of Messages, in which numbers, dates, subjects, and entities to which messages are sent and from which messages are received, are recorded.
Moreover, the Society may maintain any records or files as it deems fit.
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Article (18)
Loss of Membership
1- The membership in the General Assembly may end in the following cases:
a- A decision issued by the General Assembly to end the membership.
b- If a member submits his/her writing resignation, and the General Assembly decides to accept it.
c- The death of the member.
2- In case a vacancy occurs for any reason, the Executive Council elects a candidate and the nomination should be presented to the General Assembly to decide what it see according to the provisions of Article (5) of this system.
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Article (19)
General Rules
The Society is committed to protect the confidentiality of communications, requests, grievances, information, files, and messages. In case of breaching such confidentiality, penalties provided for the violation of the confidentiality of public offices shall be applied.
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Article (20)
The Society shall abide by the Constitution in practicing its work, starting from the date of issuance of the Royal Decree.
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