Bahrain

The National Human Rights Committee is the main national mechanism of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in coordinating with government agencies in all matters related to human rights, preparing and submitting national reports, responding to appeals and complaints received from abroad, and preparing the national human rights plan with the cooperation of all relevant authorities and stakeholders.

INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP

The National Human Rights Committee is the main national mechanism coordinating with government agencies in all matters related to human rights, preparing and submitting national reports, responding to appeals and complaints received from abroad, and preparing the national human rights plan with the cooperation of all relevant authorities and stakeholders. It was established by decree.

Composition

The Committee was formed under the presidency of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and with the membership of each of the following:

• Undersecretary for Courts, Family Reconciliation and Alimony at the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Member)
• Coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office (Member)
• Secretary General of the General Secretariat Ombudsman (Member)
• Chief Executive of the Government Hospitals (Member)
• Undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Development (Member)
• Chief Executive of the National Communication Centre (NCC) (Member)
• Assistant Undersecretary for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Interior (Member)
• Vice President of the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission (LLOC) (Member)
• Director General of Legal Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Member)
• Deputy Chief Executive for Enforcement and Protection at the Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). (Member)
• Chief of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) at the Public Prosecution (Member)
• Chief of the Human Rights Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Member)
• Director of the Labor Relations Directorate at the Ministry of Labor (Member)
• Director of Curriculum Development and Policies Directorate at the Ministry of Education. (Member)
• Representative of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) (Member)

A Decision is issued by the President of the Committee to appoint representatives of the authorities, based on the nominations of those authorities. The membership term in the Committee is of three years, renewable for similar periods.

The National Human Rights Committee includes focal points for Article 33(1) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and from Gender Equality Mechanisms.

Secretariat

There is a secretariat for the Committee to review the reports and inquiries received, follow up the recommendations and present them to the members of the Committee, and prepare the appropriate unified response for the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Methods of work

The Committee holds periodic meetings every 3 months, equivalent to 4 meetings per year, and participants usually include His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Chairman of the Committee) and members of the Committee consisting of all relevant ministries in the Kingdom, in addition to other entities when needed.

The Committee has internal guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that guide its work. However, it has no terms of reference. These are internal documents.

Institutional memory/training

The committee's internal work guide is circulated to the new members of the committee to study and know the scope of work in the National Human Rights Committee, in addition to involving all members and inviting them to human rights workshops and seminars held by the Human Rights Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If the position of any of the committee members becomes vacant for any reason, they shall be replaced by someone representing the same entity, and the new member shall complete the term of their predecessor.

MANDATE

The Committee's mandate includes:

• Establish a coordination mechanism to ensure the best policies to deal with human rights issues.
• Monitoring the implementation of the National Human Rights Plan at the government level and presenting an annual report to the Council of Ministers.
• Preparing responses to statements and questions issued by organizations and associations inside and outside the Kingdom, related to human rights.
• Preparing reports that the Kingdom of Bahrain is obligated to submit in application of the conventions to which the Kingdom has joined in the field of human rights.
• Considering the requests of international organizations working in the field of human rights that wish to send a representative to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
• Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the Human Rights Council and submitting periodic reports thereon to the Council of Ministers.
• Submitting its recommendations or views related to human rights issues to the Council of Ministers.
• Preparing studies regarding the harmonization of local laws with the conventions to which the Kingdom of Bahrain has acceded in the field of human rights.
• Any other issues referred to it by the President of the Committee.

It is within the scope of the Committee to review and approve all national reports related to the obligations of the Kingdom of Bahrain before the bodies established under the international human rights treaties of the United Nations system, prepared by the national subcommittees, and for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends it to the United Nations.

The National Human Rights Committee engages with all UN human rights mechanisms as well as with regional human rights mechanisms.

Process for preparing state reports

The National Human Rights Committee follows up with all relevant ministries and bodies concerned with providing the required information. Responses or inquiries are then studied and compiled and shared with the inquiring parties.

COORDINATION

The Committee holds periodic meetings every 3 months, equivalent to 4 meetings per year, and participants usually include His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Chairman of the Committee) and members of the Committee consisting of all relevant ministries in the Kingdom, in addition to other entities when needed.

Link with the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals

There is no direct link to the work of the national mechanism. The Kingdom of Bahrain has the Ministry of Sustainable Development that is concerned with implementing the 2030 agenda.

Channel of communication with the National Statistics Office

There is periodic communication and correspondence with the Information & eGovernment Authority regarding statistics in the Kingdom of Bahrain, when needed.

Channel of communication with Parliament

Consultative meetings with Human Rights Committees of Shura Council and House of Representatives are held.

Channel of communication with the Judiciary

Judicial reports are shared with committee for the required responses and information. Additionally, workshops are held on the National Human Rights Plan in which judicial personnel are invited.

CONSULTATION

Periodic consultative meetings are held with representatives of civil society organizations and the National Human Rights Institution, when issuing national, international and regional reports as well as in projects and workshops for the National Plan for Human Rights.

The information is tracked and maintained through a digital log, in accordance with the format of the reports, and is delivered to human rights mechanisms through Bahraini missions and embassies.

Action Plans:

The Kingdom has launched the National Plan for Human Rights 2022-2026 and is working on preparing the NPHR 2027-2031. The Kingdom also has an internal committee to implement the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review.

Human Rights Affairs Sector – Office of Human Rights Committees – Ministry of Foreign Affairs