“The Science and Technology and Human Rights

Nexus in the Arab World”

Adnan Badran

18th IAS Conference

Doha

22-24 October 2011

Human Rights

• Foundation of Freedom, Justice and Peace in

the World.

• Human Rights are “basic rights and freedoms

that all people are entitled to regardless of

nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, race,

religion, language, or other status."

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Main Instruments for Human Rights

CESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

CCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

CERD International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Racial Discrimination

CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women .

CAT Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or Punishment

CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child

MWC International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All

Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

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CESCR CCRP CERD CEDAW CAT CRC MWC

Algeria Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Bahrain Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Comoros No No Yes Yes No Yes No

Djibouti Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No

Egypt Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Iraq Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No

Jordan Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Kuwait Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Lebanon Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Libya Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Mauritania No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Morocco Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Oman No No Yes Yes No Yes No

Qatar No No Yes No Yes Yes No

Saudi Arabia No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Somalia Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No

Sudan Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No

Syria Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Tunisia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

UAE No No Yes Yes No Yes No

Yemen Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Indicators of International Bill of Rights as ratified in Arab Countries

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• By Arab League 15 September 1994.

• Although the 22 Arab countries agreed on 42

Articles (Annex 1) but were far from

implementation .

• Human Rights violations were reported in all Arab

countries.

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Arab Charter on Human Rights

Human Rights

Science &

Technology

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What correlation do we have

between human rights (HRs)

indicators & science, technology

and innovations, (STIs)

indicators

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The contribution

of public sector

(%GDP)

The contribution of

private sector

(%GDP)

Spending on R&D

(% GDP) Country

0.94 2.79 3.73 Sweden

0.77 2.62 3.39 Japan

0.91 2.46 3.37 Finland

0.77 1.84 2.61 USA

0.76 1.77 2.53 Germany

0.75 1.34 2.09 France

0.73 1.11 1.84 EU(27 countries)

0.41 1.01 1.42 China

0.53 0.67 1.20 Spain

0.55 0.54 1.9 Italy

Source:

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/Office of the European Communities Alhsaúa/UNESCO and the National Institute of Quebec/Canada, and technical Aalom Observatory in 2007

Expenditure on R&D:

The contribution of private sector vs. public sector

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GERD/GDP in selected OIC countries relevance to human rights, 2008

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%

Key:

GERD: Gross expenditure on research and development

GDP: Gross domestic products

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Investment in science: Researchers per million population in

selected OIC countries

relevance to human rights, 2010

Note: * FTE (Full time equivalents) ** HC (Headcounts) Source: www.chartsbin.com

per million population

Scientific listed papers published in selected OIC countries relevance to human rights, 2010

Source: Thomson Reuters (Scientific) Inc. Web of Science. Science Citation Index Expanded, complied for UNESCO by the Observatoire des Sciences et des techniques for population data; World Bank (2010) World Development Indicators.

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Per million population.

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Source : as reported by: www.myipo.gov.my

-

200.00

400.00

600.00

800.00

1,000.00

1,200.00

1,400.00

1,600.00

Top ten countries in the world for patent and

utility innovation applications 2009

Investment in Science

R&D output: patents in selected OIC countries

relevance to human rights, 2009

US patents granted to residents of selected countries, 2009

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Source : as reported by: www.WIPO.com

Investment in Science

Who funds what in R&D? relevance to human rights

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Internet penetration in selected OIC countries relevance to human rights

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2009 *

2010 **

2011 ***

Source: www.internetworldstats.com

Knowledge Economy Index (KEI) in selected OIC countries

relevance to human rights, 2011

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Knowledge Economy Index

The knowledge Economy Index (KEI) is calculated on the basis of the average normalized scores of a country or region

on all four pillars of the knowledge economy: economic incentive & institutional regime: education, innovation; & ICTS.

The score ranges from a low of 0 to a high of 10.

Source: World Bank 17

List of selected OIC countries by GDP (PPP) per capita ($) relevance to human rights

* 2009

** 2010

Source: Wikipedia

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How Jordan stands with HRs indicators:

I. On Civil & Political Rights Reforms:

Multiparty political system (law).

Election of parliament and municipalities (law).

Formation of Governments representing

parliamentary majorities (constitution).

Absolute vs. constitutional monarchy

(constitution).

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II. On economic, social & cultural Rights:

Right to Living.

Right to Development.

Right to Work.

Right to Education.

Right to Health.

Right to a Safe Environment.

Women Rights.

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In Summary

Indicators show that Islamic countries that have adhered

to human rights have progressed toward building a

democratic society, and have achieved capacity building

in science & technology and ultimately achieved peace

and development. On the other hand, those countries

that have violated human rights; have fallen behind in

science and technology, in growth and development and

were accentuated with instability, unemployment and

poverty.

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Thank you

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