News

NIHR participate in the 15th session of the Arab Human Rights Committee

The National Institution for Human Rights (Charter Committee) at the League of Arab States in Cairo, which was devoted to the discussion of the first periodic report submitted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, in accordance with the provisions of Article (48) of the Arab Charter on Human Rights (ACHR) ratified by the Law No. (7) of 2006.

The session witnessed a 2-day interactive dialogue in which the Committee inquired about Bahrain's compliance with the provisions of the Arab Charter on Human Rights and its implementation of the rights and freedoms contained therein.  The Kingdom's delegation provided extensive answers to the inquiries and questions raised by the Committee on the Kingdom's achievements under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Country.

For his part, the NIHR's Secretary General, Dr. Khalifa bin Ali Al Fadhel, stated that the NIHR had previously submitted its Parallel Report on the Kingdom's first periodic report on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the Arab Charter on Human Rights to the Charter Committee, which included the most prominent achievements made by the Kingdom of Bahrain in its implementation of the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights enshrined in the Charter, and concluded with a number of relevant recommendations that would push for further development towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the national system.

The Arab Human Rights Committee (the Charter Committee) is a regional mechanism emanating from the Arab Charter on Human Rights (ACHR), which came into force on 16 March 2006 after being ratified by seven Arab States, including the Kingdom of Bahrain.  The Committee comprises seven members elected by the Arab State Parties to the Charter who are working independent of the Arab Governments and the Secretariat-General of the League of Arab States, in order to assess the human rights situation in those States through examining their national reports and the extent of implementation of their obligations in accordance with the provisions of the Charter and submitting observations and recommendations thereon for the promotion and protection of human rights.

During the session, the Secretariat General was represented by Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Al-Najjar, Head of the Legal Affairs Unit.  The NIHR's Parallel Report can also be found on the NIHR's website - Data and Reports Section (www.nihr.org.bh) or the website of the Arab Human Rights Committee (Charter Committee) or the website of the League of Arab States (www.lasportal.org).