Scope of NSHR

NSHR is a national non-governmental organization (NGO), independent administratively and financially from the government. It strives to defend human rights within and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whether the target of abuse is a Saudi citizen, expatriate, or visitor. To achieve this, NSHR cooperates with all governmental and non-governmental societies within the Kingdom and worldwide.

Vision of NSHR

Participating in building a society where justice, equality, and the reign of law would be supreme in accordance with Islamic Law, which calls for forgiveness, justice, and rejection of extremism.

Mission of NSHR

Protecting, defending, and disseminating the culture human rights; taking the necessary measures to handle complaints about and violations of human rights in order to limit and eliminate their effects; and preparing studies, conferences, symposia, workshops, publications, declarations of opinion, and reports.

Objectives of NSHR

As per Article (2) of its Charter, NSHR has the following objectives:

·        Working toward protecting human rights according to the Governing Statute, which originates in the Holy Koran, the Sunnah (Prophet Mohammed's tradition) and in accordance with the laws in force, the human rights declarations and conventions issued by the Arab League, Islamic Convention Organization, the United Nations, its agencies, and committees in such a way that Islamic Law is not contradicted.

·        Collaborating with the international organizations working in this field.

·        Facing up to tyranny, oppression, violence, torture, and intolerance.

Responsibilities of NSHR

NSHR is not an executive body; neither does it substitute for the law or the bodies concerned with the implementation of the laws in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As such, its responsibilities, as stipulated in Article (3) of its Charter, emphasize the following:

1.      Ascertaining the implementation in the Kingdom of the contents of the Governing Statute and the internal laws relating to human rights;

2.      Ascertaining the implementation of the Kingdom's commitments toward human rights issues in accordance with the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam, the United Nations Conventions, and international human rights declarations and conventions;

3.      Receiving and following up complaints with concerned parties, and verifying allegations of breach of human rights;

4.      Providing ideas and suggestions for public and private agencies in order to disseminate information on human rights;

5.      Dealing with human rights issues with international agencies in general and international non-governmental agencies in particular;

6.      Studying international human rights declarations and conventions and their applications;

7.      Organizing symposia, conferences, and local, regional, and international discussions on human rights;

8.      Encouraging regional and international collaboration to consolidate and protect human rights;

9.      Publishing specialized material on human rights.