Background
The Arab Regional Human Rights Moot Court Competition is an annual competition organized by the Centre with the aim of enhancing university students’ understanding of human rights principles, sources, and treaties, as well as their engagement with international human rights mechanisms. The competition provides an educational and interactive platform to develop legal research, analysis, and advocacy skills, encourage dialogue on contemporary human rights issues, and build a regional network of students committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law.

The first edition of the competition (2024) was organized in partnership with the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), focused on the rights of persons with disabilities, and was hosted by the University of Jordan. The second edition (2025) was held in Doha, Qatar, hosted by the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. Nearly 300 law students from more than 50 universities in 13 Arab countries benefited from the online awareness-raising and training sessions, in addition to the in-person competition. These countries included: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen.

Objectives of the Moot Court
Organizing a regional human rights moot court competition in cooperation with universities in the Arab region aims to enhance students’ engagement with international human rights mechanisms and increase knowledge of international law in general and international human rights law in particular. By the end of the competition, participants will be able to:

• Enhance students’ understanding of international human rights treaties, conventions, and mechanisms.
• Develop students’ legal research, analysis, and advocacy skills, and strengthen their ability to present and defend cases.
• Encourage discussion and interaction among participants on contemporary human rights issues in the Arab context.
• Build a regional network of young people interested in human rights to promote the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and cooperation between universities and human rights institutions.
• Provide students with the necessary tools to address human rights challenges in their communities and contribute effectively to strengthening the rule of law.

Methodology and Stages of the Competition
Universities wishing to participate form a student team, with each participating team consisting of a minimum of two and a maximum of four students (undergraduate or master’s students). A larger number of students may contribute to the competition as one team or within intra-university competition frameworks, at the discretion of each university. Participating students must work under the supervision of university faculty members who train them in the fundamentals of legal research, legal drafting, and the preparation of written submissions and oral pleadings. Accordingly, a supervisor/coordinator is appointed for each student team to provide training within the university.

The competition follows a methodology that combines training with practical application and includes three main stages:

• First stage: Online training sessions
• Second stage: Written legal memorials
• Third stage: Oral pleadings before the moot court – in person

Language
The official language of the competition is Arabic.

Target Audience
The regional moot court competition targets students of law faculties at Arab universities, particularly those interested in international human rights law, as well as students from related disciplines such as international relations or political science, in order to enhance a multidisciplinary understanding of human rights issues and human rights programmes.