At the invitation of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), His Eminence Dr. Abdel Fattah Mahmoud Abnaouf, Director of the Department of Planning and International Cooperation at the Academy, delivered a scholarly paper during the Commission’s 26th regular session on Sunday, 23 Jumada al‑Akhirah 1447 AH, corresponding to 14 December 2025, in Jeddah, representing the Secretary-General of the Academy.
The paper, titled “Youth Development in OIC Member States: Challenges and Opportunities from a Human Rights Perspective and Youth Empowerment from the Perspective of the Objectives of Islamic Law (Maqāṣid al‑Sharī‘ah)”, addressed the importance of the youth demographic and its pivotal role in building societies. It emphasised that the prosperity and stability of nations are directly linked to the effective investment of youth potential. In contrast, their weakness and decline stem from wasting these energies and failing to guide them properly.
The paper also highlighted several key pillars of youth empowerment, foremost among them the maqāṣid‑based dimension in Islamic law—particularly the objectives of preserving life and preserving intellect—and their role in protecting young people from intellectual and behavioral deviations, thereby strengthening security and stability within societies.
Dr. Abdel Fattah Abnaouf further reviewed the contributions of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in this field through its scientific resolutions and recommendations, its organization of specialized conferences and symposia, and its strategic partnerships with various institutions concerned with youth issues and human rights in member states. He stressed that the advancement of nations is inseparable from the proper investment of youth potential.