Foreign Ministry hails NGOs' role in human rights development

Manama, May 7(BNA): The Foreign Ministry organized the fifth consultative meeting via video conference with some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) concerned with human right. The meeting was chaired by Assistant Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Faisal bin Jabr Al-Dossari who emphasized the role of NGOs in the development and promotion of human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This consultative meeting comes within the framework of the ministry’s keenness to achieve partnership with civil society organizations concerned with human rights, in implementation of the wise leadership’s directives to advance human rights and promote and protect the so far achieved gains in this respect. He said the reform approach of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa accords high respect to human rights, affirming the ministry’s keenness and interest in increasing cooperation and coordination with the relevant ministries and governmental bodies and relevant institutions and non-governmental organizations. This, he said, to discuss human rights issues and reinforce the achievements made in line with the reforms, democratic process and the Kingdom’s voluntary commitments to international covenants and agreements on human rights. The meeting discussed a number of topics and issues on the agenda and the most important achievements and developments in promoting human rights such as legislation and laws, the most important of which are restorative justice for children and their protection from abuse and the new press law. It also proposed to issue a new law to regulate the work of civil society associations and promote them by providing appropriate financial support, allocating headquarters, and recruiting for them of administrators under the supervision of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in order to advance national action and other related draft laws. The Assistant Foreign Minister also reviewed the draft report of the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the promotion and protection of human rights, in the framework of combating the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) along with the national efforts made by the national campaign to combat the Corona virus led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. He presented the first annual ministry’s report on human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which aims to introduce the human rights march in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in addition to the activities and events held by a number of ministries and state institutions in the period from January to April 2020. The meeting also discussed the planned national reports Presented to the United Nations on the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A number of representatives of NGOs presented their views and observations on what was presented during the meeting, along with a number of ideas and proposals that contribute to developing partnership and cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and civil society associations at the national and international levels. At the end of the meeting, the Assistant Foreign Minister affirmed that Bahrain is proceeding with a steady pace in its democratic, human rights and development progress and achievements within the framework of cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, strengthening the powers of independent human rights institutions, respecting the independence and integrity of the judiciary, and supporting and participating in civil society institutions.