Second Annual Report of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) 2014 - Kingdom of Bahrain human rights in order to achieve its objectives and to deal with any human rights case as it deems appropriate. These mandates, in entirety, serve the promotion and protection of civil, political, economic, social and cultural human rights for individuals of different legal positions within the state system. This is in line with the relevant international decisions. THIRD: ENCOURAGING RATIFICATION OF OR ACCESSION TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS 6. Encouraging the ratification of international human rights instruments and the implementation of their provisions is one of the main functions that should be undertaken by national institutions, in addition to encouraging the state to harmonize its legislation, regulations and national practices with international instruments. “Paris Principles” have decided that one of the most important responsibilities that need to be undertaken by national institutions is to promote and ensure the harmonization of the national legislation, regulations and practices with international human rights instruments to which the state is a party, and implementing these instruments in an effective manner, in addition to promoting the ratification of or accession to international instruments to and ensuring their implementation30. 7. The Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) confirmed the same principle through promoting national institutions to monitor the international law of human rights developments, urging their governments to ratify or accede to international human rights instruments, and assessing compliance by the state party to its international obligations arising from the ratification or accession by proposing legislation, regulations or practices or modifying the existing ones in line with the relevant international standards31. 8. By reference to the provisions of Law No. 26 of 2014, it is evident that Article 12, paragraph (b), expressly provides that NIHR has the competence: “To examine legislation and regulations enforced in the Kingdom which are related to human rights, and recommend amendments as it deems fit, particularly in connection with the consistency of such regulations with the Kingdom’s international obligations in the human rights field. NIHR shall be empowered to recommend enacting new legislation related to human rights”. Paragraph (c) of the same Article provides for its competence: “To consider the conformity of legislative and regulatory provisions with regional and international treaties related to human rights issues, and submit proposals and recommendations to the competent authorities in any matter that reinforces and protects human rights, including recommendations to accede to regional and international conventions and treaties concerned with human rights”. These mandates are a reflection of “Paris Principles” and the General Observations of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA). FOURTH: INTERACTION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM 9. “Paris Principles” vest in the national institutions for human rights the responsibility to contribute to the preparation of reports that should be submitted by the states to the United Nations bodies and committees and regional institutions in line with their obligations under the treaties, and, where appropriate, to express an opinion on this issue, with due respect for their independence. The Principles also urged cooperation with the United Nations, any other organization of the United Nations, regional organizations, and the national institutions in other countries which are concerned with the promotion and protection of human rights32. 30 “Paris Principles” relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Mandates and responsibilities, Clause 3, p. 5. 31 General Observation (1 - 3) Encouraging ratification of or accession to international human rights instruments, p. 91. 32 “Paris Principles” relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Clause (3), p. 5 30