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NIHR’s Chairperson meets with Head of the National Institutions Performance Assessment Delegation of the Asia-Pacific Forum

On the sidelines of his visit to attend the session for adoption of the report of the Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Mr. Saeed bin Mohamed Al-Faihani, Chairperson of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR), met with Professor Chris Sidoti, Head of the National Institutions Performance Assessment Delegation of the Asia-Pacific Forum (APF) and former member of the National Human Rights Commission of Australia.

The two sides addressed the upcoming phase of cooperation with the NIHR through the implementation of a number of courses and workshops on capacity development stated in the NIHR’s capacity assessment report concluded by the delegation after their visit to the NIHR earlier this year.

At the beginning of the meeting, Chairprson of the NIHR presented a summary of the report of the undeclared visit made by a delegation of the NIHR to some reform institutions, which it started recently based on its amended Establishment Law, noting that the NIHR has announced this report through a press conference attended by a number of news agencies, journalists and representatives of civil society organizations.

Mr. Al-Faihani stated that the NIHR welcomes the results of the performance assessment report and wishes to start implementation of the technical cooperation programs to raise its capabilities and work on implementing its goals and terms of reference for both members of the council of Commissioners and the General Secretariat staff.  He also briefed the delegation on NIHR’s undeclared visit to women’s prison in Isa city and the results of the press conference held by the NIHR on 10 September to inaugurate this report, in addition to the opening of an NIHR branch last June at the headquarters of the National Commission against Trafficking in Persons and receive complaints concerning residents and foreigners, the inauguration of a hotline in Arabic and English working 24 hours per day to receive complaints and the media campaign that accompanied it.

For his part, Professor Sidoti congratulated Mr. Al-Faihani for his election as Chairpen of the NIHR, and thanked him for his constructive response that aims to increase NIHR’s ability to protect and promote human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain through the declared and undeclared visits.  He also praised the opening of NIHR’s branch at the headquarters of the National Commission against Trafficking in Persons, as well as the inauguration of the hotline, which is a major achievement and one of the recommendations of the performance assessment report, which is added to the achievements of the NIHR during the last short period.  The two sides agreed to organize a meeting between the NIHR’s Commissioners and employees on the one hand and with Professor Sidoti on the other hand, through the convening of a television conference to start preparation for this cooperation and implement the recommendations.