National Institution for Human Rights – Kingdom of Bahrain
celebration of the national holidays. This provision will help promote an adequate
standard of living.
15. In terms of NIHR mandate to receive complaints related to the right to housing,
the National Institution received six complaints, three of which were about the long
waiting period to obtain the housing service, which exceeds twenty years. Two
complaints were received about not enjoying the right to adequate housing, while
one complaint was received about the withdrawal of the residential unit by the
competent ministry.
16. The National Institution considered and expressed its legal opinion on these
complaints. It addressed the Ministry of Housing and Electricity and Water Authority.
The violations in three complaints were removed through NIHR response. In one
complaint, there was no evidence to substantiate the alleged violation, while in
another complaint, it appeared that there is no violated right as the complainant
abused his right. The Ministry of Housing did not respond concerning the last
complaint.
17. In terms of the Government efforts related to the right to adequate food, NIHR
follows with interest the Ministry of Industry and Trade efforts in monitoring the
local market and the prices of vital consumer goods and food products, particularly
those subsidized by the government (flour, domestic poultry and red meat) according
to the specified prices.
18. The endeavors of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in preventing monopolistic
practices and commercial fraud in the vital sectors that are associated with people
life, and not imposing compulsory prices of food commodities subsidized by the
Government, is a commendable approach in order to effectuate the free trade
principles on which the economy is based.
19. In spite of the Government’s efforts to ensure effective enjoyment of the right to
adequate food, according to the figures stated in the Ministry of Industry and Trade
response, which were reviewed by NIHR, there is increase in the prices of some food
commodities, which called the Ministry to intervene and attempt to create balance.
The cooperation between the legislative authority and the Government reorganized
subsidy disbursement (cost of living allowance) to accommodate a larger segment of
beneficiaries. In addition, the Government granted cost of living allowance to some
civil service officers, under the Prime Minister’s Decree No. 55 of 2011. These steps
as a whole help improve the standard of living of the citizens.
20. The right to adequate standard of living is not limited to the provision of adequate
housing and adequate food and water. It rather extends to infrastructure, which
contributes to enhancing the adequate standard of living. Accordingly, the
Government, represented by the Ministry of Public Works, reported that it conducted
a field survey of the paved roads and prepared a program for renovation and
refurbishment of the infrastructure of the roads, whose useful life has ended. This
project was prepared in coordination with the municipal councils and within the
limits of the annual budget allocated to this project, amounting to BHD 10 Million.
21. As regards the procedures taken for solving the problem of storm water, the Ministry
of Public Works, in responding to NIHR inquiries in this respect, stated that it has
examined the reasons for storm water and took the necessary action to connect it
to the sewage network, create a local drainage network underground, or hold it in
ground tanks until it is sucked.
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