NIHR and the Supreme Council for the Environment Organise a Dialogue Forum on the Right to a Sustainable Healthy Environment
The National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR), in cooperation with the Supreme Council for the Environment, organised a dialogue forum for Government and private sector employees on the "Right to a Sustainable Healthy Environment", aiming at introducing the human right to a sound healthy environment, the most essential national environmental legislation, and the role and efforts of government agencies in promoting sustainable development.
During his opening speech, Eng. Ali Ahmed Al-Derazi, Chairman of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR), stated that organizing this event comes from the NIHR’s belief in the necessity of establishing broad partnerships with various actors and sectors in Bahraini society to achieve its vision and mission, especially with regard to spreading awareness of human rights principles, pointing out that this dialogue forum contributes to the protection of the right to a proper and healthy environment as the basic framework for the life of successive human generations, and emphasizes the theme of the right to a sound environment with the challenges of climate change, as the environment and its protection are important issues at the national and international levels, being one of the basic requirements for human rights, as they relate to the right to life.
Al-Derazi explained that the Kingdom of Bahrain pays special attention to the environment, through the support and care it provides to promote and protect the right to a sound and healthy environment, especially with the challenges of climate change and the rise of emerging environmental problem, since the Kingdom launched development initiatives and programs consistent with sustainable development goals, developed legislative and regulatory measures and actions to reduce pollution, and ratified many regional and international conventions, treaties and protocols concerned with protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development.
For her part, Eng. Lama Al-Mahroos, representative of the Supreme Council for the Environment, acting in charge of the Control and Environmental Protection Department of the Council, explained that the dialogue forum shed light on the efforts made by the Kingdom of Bahrain to achieve sustainable development goals through various agencies and institutions in the government sector, the role of these agencies in implementing strategic plans developed by the Kingdom of Bahrain to meet environment and climate challenges, each according to its competence, and the importance of cooperation between various agencies.
Al-Mahroos stated that the Council is working through cooperation with various local, regional and international institutions, on programs aimed at raising levels and technical expertise, benefiting from the expertise of others, and being briefed on the latest global developments in various environment fields.
The dialogue forum, which was held in the Journalists Hall at Isa Cultural Centre, included six themes that dealt with defining the role of government agencies and human rights organizations in achieving sustainable development goals. In first theme, Mr. Hassan Slais, Legal Advisor of the Supreme Council for the Environment, discussed national environment legislation and the most important challenges for a healthy and sustainable environment. In the second theme, Counsellor Muhammad Juma’a Fazeea, former head of the Arab Human Rights Committee (the Charter Committee), touched on the role of the Arab Charter on Human Rights (ACHR) and the right to a healthy and sustainable environment. In the third theme, Dr. Amira Ali Al Nooh, Public Health Consultant Doctor and representative of the Ministry of Health, discussed the relationship between environment and health. In the fourth theme, Dr. Fatima Reda Hubail, Head of Programs Department at the Health Promotion Department of the Ministry of Health, dealt with projects aimed at promoting health and the environment in general. In the fifth theme, Eng. Lamia Muhammad Tulfat, Director of the Household Waste Department of the Ministry of Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning, addressed the most essential projects and initiatives of the National Strategy for Waste Management for a Sustainable Environment and development. In the sixth theme, Eng. Issa Abdul-Rahman Albuainain, Urban Strategic Planning Advisor at the Urban Planning and Development Authority, addressed the efforts of the Urban Planning and Development Authority to humanize cities in order to maintain a sustainable healthy environment and develop existing urban systems.
