The Role of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights

This thesis provides a critical analysis of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its role in the promotion and protection of human rights, based on documentary analysis and qualitative field interviews. It approaches the GCC’s engagement with human rights from dual perspectives: externally, by examining how human rights policies are shaped within the broader political framework of the GCC, and internally, by investigating the GCC’s institutional management of human rights initiatives. To achieve these aims, the study begins by examining the external perspective to understand the origins and rationale of the GCC, evaluating when and why human rights emerged on its agenda. It then assesses the institutional dimensions of the GCC, inter-state dynamics, international pressures, and domestic developments that have influenced state and regional approaches to human rights. With regard to the internal perspective, and by examining the constitutional features and statist orientation of the GCC, the study reflects on the organisation’s regional achievements in human rights recognition and promotion, particularly the adoption of the GCC Declaration of Human Rights (GDHR). The study further explores developments within and around the GCC to provide insight into how regional human rights frameworks are constructed. Additionally, it assesses how the GCC’s human rights ambitions are operationalised, particularly through the Human Rights Office (HRO). The thesis offers new insights into institutional and communicative processes within the GCC. While acknowledging the limited powers of GCC bodies to hold states accountable, the thesis presents an optimistic perspective on the future of human rights in the region. The GCC’s rhetorical commitment to human rights, combined with its role in consensus-building and emphasis on state achievements, has the potential to foster competition among states toward improved human rights outcomes and create new ‘openings’ for inclusive and meaningful regional dialogue and action on shared human rights concerns.