Chapter II: The Consultative Opinion Submitted by the National Institution for Human Rights Preface The Paris Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights emphasized that part of the tasks of the national institutions for human rights is to undertake “to promote and ensure the harmonization of national legislation, regulations and practices with the international human rights instruments to which the State is a party, and their effective implementation”, in addition to encouraging the State to ratify these international instruments or “accession to those instruments, and to ensure their implementation”8. This requires the national institutions to review “relevant national laws, regulations and policies to determine that they are compatible with the obligations arising from international human rights standards and propose the amendment or repeal of any legislation, regulations or policies that are inconsistent with the requirements of these principles.”9 Article (12) of Law No. (26) of 2014 on the Establishment of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) stated that the task of the NIHR is ”to study legislation and regulations enforced in the Kingdom under the human rights areas together with recommending amendments it deems fit in this respect particularly those consistent with such legislations and the Kingdom’s international obligations in the human rights field. The institution is empowered to recommend new legislation related to human rights.”; while paragraph (c) of the same article stated” to study conformity of legislation and organization of regional and international treaties related to human right, submit proposals and recommendations to concerned authorities in any matter that re-enforces and protects human rights, support and develop to a better level including recommendations to join regional and international conventions and treaties concerned with human rights.” These tasks is a reflection of the “Paris Principles” and the General Observations of the Sub-Committee on Accreditations(SCA) in the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI). ‫اﻟﺘﻘﺮﻳﺮ اﻟﺴﻨﻮي اﻟﺜﺎﻟﺚ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﻤﺆﺳﺴﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﺤﻘﻮق اﻧﺴﻨﺎم‬ ‫ ـ ﻣﻤﻠﻜﺔ اﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﻦ‬2015 ‫ﻟﻌﺎم‬ Therefore NIHR provided its opinion regarding certain requests on decrees, or proposals for legislation, or referred suggestions totaling eight cases; furthermore, it referred its opinions to the Council of Ministers (Executive Authority) regarding proposed legislation or amending existing ones to be in conformity with international instruments for human rights, totaling 6 cases, as the Council of Ministers is the designated party in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution to refer draft laws to the National Council. 8  he Paris Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights- Jurisdictions and T Responsibilities- Paragraph (3) Document No. A/RES/48/134. 9  enera; comment of the sub-committee entrusted with the adoption No. (1-3)- encourage the ratification or joining the International Human G Rights Instruments- (May 2013). 27