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The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), as regional human rights institution work in the Arab world, has adopted an approach that seeks to reconcile prevalent Arab culture with human rights principles and values. Departing from the point that art, literature and virtual performances communicate and interact directly with and among the receivers, CIHRS uses arts and literature to engage people, especially broader society, in the human rights debate and demonstrate that human rights are celebrated in Arab cultures. The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), as regional human rights institution work in the Arab world, has adopted an approach that seeks to reconcile prevalent Arab culture with human rights principles and values. Departing from the point that art, literature and virtual performances communicate and interact directly with and among the receivers, CIHRS uses arts and literature to engage people, especially broader society, in the human rights debate and demonstrate that human rights are celebrated in Arab cultures.

In the second International conference for human rights movement in the Arab world, October 2000, titled Human Rights Education and Dissemination in the Arab world: An Agenda for 21st century, CIHRS has emphasized the importance of  use of art and literature in human rights education and dissemination. This tactic is intended to show people in Arab Islamic societies that their cultures have always honored human rights values. In many Arab societies human rights suffer in part due to a dominant culture that asserts a conservative interpretation of Islam. In addition, although many Arab states supported the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), many Arab nations have since portrayed the UDHR, and human rights protection more generally, as a Western concept.

CIHRS engages artists in identifying ways human rights culture is already celebrated in society. This is done through the promotion of films, essays and analysis that describe the roots of human rights values in local cultures, literature, film and folklore. In this regard, CIHRS organizes a monthly film screening called the “Cinema Club for Human Rights”- the 1st experience of its kind in the Arab world- and publishes a booklet series titled “Human Rights in Art and Literature”. Through these two activities, CIHRS’ tactic emphasizes that ideas of human rights are already present in the Arab countries, people are persuaded that there are genuine roots of human rights principles in their cultures.

The idea of “Cinema Club for Human Rights” is mainly based on a monthly film screening. After the movie, a guest speaker comments on the film’s topic from a human rights perspective in the presence of the film director, or at least a cinema critic. Invitations are always targeted artists (This concept is also a fundamental part of the training courses, which each presents a selected group of documentary and narrative films that include human rights dimensions to the participants). On the other hand, the series of booklets on human rights in arts and literature highlights the role of arts and literature in dissemination human rights. The educational dimension of art series is able to convey knowledge and positive values without preaching and  rote learning. Artists are always encouraged to present their experiences that include human rights aspects, and introduce that in attractive and artistic manner.

The network of artists is also encouraged to create projects that promote human rights in contemporary society. This includes collecting the ideas of artists as a way of identifying important issues and funding projects that focus on these issues. In this way, CIHRS works closely with artists to clarify human rights values in the culture. Occasionally, CIHRS will choose a specific theme or issue, identify how artistic approaches could play a role and then approach network members who could successfully address that theme through a variety of artistic media.

This work has contributed to a greater awareness of the cultural relevance of human rights in Egypt and the Arab world. This approach can be adapted in many countries where the state or dominant culture emphasizes the local irrelevance of human rights.