National Institution for Human Rights – Kingdom of Bahrain
addressed to them. It is noted that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, although
it did not respond in writing to the letters sent, requested meeting the National
Institution and discussing the issues of the letters, and reflected a positive attitude
towards settling and resolving the complaints.
B. The extent of the cooperation by the competent ministries and agencies with
NIHR concerning the annual report:
1. In order to perform the duties assigned to it, Article 14 of the Royal Decree Establishing
the National Institute for Human Rights provides that: “The Institution shall prepare
an annual report about its efforts, activities and all its business and shall include
whatever proposals and recommendations in the scope of its powers identify the
performance constraints and whatever solutions adopted to overcome them. Such
report shall be forwarded to the King”. This requires that NIHR obtains from all
competent ministries and agencies concerned in the Kingdom the information, data
or documents which it deems necessary to prepare its report.
2. Accordingly, the National Institution addressed 18 ministries and official bodies,
namely, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Public
Works, Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Ministry of Education,
Ministry of Human Rights Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Health,
Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Housing, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Information Affairs Authority, Civil Service Bureau, Public
Prosecution, the National Security Agency, the Ombudsman Secretariat, and the
Supreme Environment Council.
3. NIHR addressed 8 civil society organizations, namely, Bahrain Human Rights
Society, Mother and Child Welfare Association, Bahrain Parents Care Society, Bahrain
Union Society for the Disabled, Bahraini Women Union, Bahrain Jurists Association,
Bahrain Diabetic Care Society, and Bahrain Medical Society.
4. In response to the official correspondences sent by NIHR to the above mentioned
ministries, competent agencies and civil society organizations, 13 ministries or bodies
responded, namely, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Labor, Ministry
of Public Works, Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Health,
National Security Agency, Supreme Environment Council, Ombudsman Secretariat,
public prosecution, and the Civil Service Bureau. Five bodies did not respond to
NIHR letters, despite that second letters were sent to them, namely, the Ministry of
Culture, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and the Information Affairs Authority.
5. Regarding civil society organizations, Mother and Child Welfare Association,
Bahrain Parents Care Society, and Bahrain Diabetic Care Society responded to NIHR
letters, while five civil society organizations did not respond thereto, namely, Bahrain
Human Rights Society, Bahrain Union Society for the Disabled, Bahraini Women
Union, Bahrain Jurists Association, and Bahrain Medical Society.
6. In this regard, in order to achieve effective cooperation with the Government, and
pursuant to Article 5 of the Royal Decree No. 46 of 2009, amended by the Royal
Decree No. 28 of 2013 on the Establishment of the National Institution for Human
Rights, NIHR recommends that the Cabinet should take a decision that requires
all ministries and government agencies to provide the National Institution with
the information required no later than two months, or within a shorter period if
necessary, and assigning an officer in these authorities to follow up this issue.
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