Introduction 1. The National Institution for Human Rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain (NIHR) presents its parallel report on the national report of the Kingdom of Bahrain that combines the first and second periodic reports on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which the Kingdom of Bahrain ratified under Law No. (22) of 2011. 2. The NIHR commends the efforts made by the Kingdom in submitting its national report - despite the delay in its submission – emanating from its belief in the importance and effectiveness of this international mechanism in promoting and protecting human rights at the national level, and in fulfillment of its international obligations arising from ratification and accession to international human rights instruments. 3. The NIHR received a request from the Ministry of Labor and Social Development to obtain the NIHR’s observations on some of the information included in the list of issues posted by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)1, regarding the consideration of the combined report of the first and second periodic reports of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The NIHR responded to this request in a detailed manner 2, in line with its establishment Law No. (26) of 2016, as amended by Decree-Law No. (20) of 2016, where paragraph (d) in Article (12) thereof provides that the NIHR “To submit parallel reports, and participate in the drafting and discussion of the reports which the Kingdom is obliged periodically submit for the implementation of regional and international conventions concerning human rights together with notifying about such reports in the proper media means3. 4. Accordingly, the NIHR presents its parallel report, containing its observations on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the Convention, and addressing the most prominent rights sanctioned by the provisions of the Convention, which it believes that have cast a shadow on the practical reality, and touched on the actuality of the rights of persons with disabilities during past years, leading to presenting a number of 1 The list of issues in relation to the consideration of the combined first and second periodic reports of the Kingdom of Bahrain, contained in document No. (CRPD/C/BHR/Q/1-2). 2 Annex: Observations of the National Human Rights Institution on some of the information included in the list of issues issued by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in relation to the consideration of the combined first and second periodic reports on the progress made in implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 3 Check the NIHR website for a copy of Law No. (26) of 2014, amended by Decree Law No. (20) of 2016 establishing the NIHR http://www.nihr.org.bh 3