US support for Bahrain's efforts to combat human trafficking stressed

Manama, June 20 (BNA): Chief Executive Officer of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Osamah Abdullah Al-Absi, today received US Ambassador to Bahrain Justin Hicks Siberell, whom offered congratulations on Bahrain’s achievement in the field of combating trafficking in persons as it maintains for the second year in a row its Tier 1 status in the US State Department’s 2019 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report in the Middle East and North Africa region. The US Ambassador said that Bahrain has made giant steps in the field of combating trafficking in persons and protecting expat workers, which have qualified it to achieve the US State Department’s 2019 TIP report. He highlighted his country’s support for the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the same field. The Ambassador pointed out Bahrain’s pioneering initiatives in combating trafficking in persons, including accountability of culprits involved in human trafficking and forced labour, in addition, it is one of the world's first countries to adopt the National Referral System, which assists in following up the process of complaints and expediting their development. He touched on the Flexible Work Permit, saying it is a leading and brave initiative in the field of labour rights, which has contributed to bringing the historical international achievement to the Kingdom of Bahrain. He also noted the Victim’s Assistance Fund, which is a reliable initiative to be followed by other countries. The two sides discussed broadening cooperation in combating human trafficking and developing skills and capabilities of national cadres concerned in this field. The LMRA welcomed the US support for the Kingdom of Bahrain in areas of combating human trafficking, Labour Market Reform Project and the development of work environment. It is worth to mention that the LMRA and National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons collaborate with a group of international organisations to develop a work plan for training national cadres of various state agencies, the establishment of a center specialized in coordinating national efforts in the field of combating human trafficking, in addition to publishing procedures and induction manuals.