NIHR Organises an International Conference on the Right to a Healthy and Appropriate Environment with Regional and International Participation
Eng. Ali Ahmed Al-Derazi, Chairman of the National Institution for Human Rights, revealed that in light of the progress witnessed by the Kingdom of Bahrain in the field of human rights in general, and its interest in the environmental field and the right to a healthy and appropriate environment, the NIHR intends to organise an international conference on the right to a healthy and appropriate environment, with broad local, regional and international participation.
Al-Derazi stated that the Arab Gulf region has witnessed during the past fifty years a comprehensive urban and industrial revolution that varied between manufacturing operations in the oil and petrochemical fields and the production of mineral raw materials, the increased use of steam and water energy, and comprehensive development in infrastructure, pointing out that this industrial and urban revolution had negative effects on wildlife and the environment in general, including but not limited to the negative impact on fish wealth, the high percentage of salinity in the soil, and other negative effects accompanying the overall development process, noting that the conference, which will be held under the theme “The Impact of Human Activity on the Right to a Healthy and Suitable Environment: Practices, Challenges and Solutions”, will highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy and suitable environment, raising awareness of the impact of human activity on human rights related to the environment, especially in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and encouraging a human rights-based approach to prevent negative environmental impacts. In addition, it will discuss the experiences of national institutions, governmental and non-governmental organisations and countries in preserving environmental rights, as well as current practices and challenges facing the preservation of the right to the environment, suggesting to develop appropriate solutions in this regard.
Al-Derazi stated that the NIHR, being one of the national mechanisms concerned with protecting human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has undertaken to organise this conference based upon its keenness to contribute to educating society and demonstrating the great development in the human rights system in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
It is worth noting that the conference will begin on September 6, and will witness four sessions that will discuss legislation and general concepts on the right to the environment and human rights, present the experiences of national human rights institutions in promoting the right to the environment and the role of official bodies to maintain this right and discuss human activity and develop solutions and recommendations to preserve biodiversity and advance and enhance environmental rights.
