CHAPTER FOUR - Efforts Made by the National Institution for Human Rights NIHR to Protect and Promote Human Rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain Preface: 1. The role of national human rights institutions is promoted through their constitutional or legislative mandate in the field of “promotion and protection of human rights”. This role is clearly demonstrated in the “Paris Principles” relating to the status of national institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights as a constitution for their work and an active and constructive element in promoting and protection human rights in the state system. 2. The role of these institutions in “protecting” human rights is evident, as it is the fundamental pillar corresponding to the role of national institutions in promoting these rights. The role includes monitoring all that would affect the right of individuals to enjoy the rights and public freedoms granted to them, as the monitoring process is a necessary means to ensure the degree and extent of the state’s respect for its legal or international obligations related to human rights. Such protection also requires that national institutions conduct field visits to places where human rights violations are likely to occur. 3. “Promotion” by disseminating the culture of human rights through the various available means, includes conferences, training courses, workshops and lectures to the general public, or specific target groups, in addition to training in the field of human rights and publishing and printing educational leaflets related to the work of national institutions; as the lack of knowledge of the principles of human rights among all segments of society is a reason for their violation, while promoting the concepts of human rights and establishing awareness contributes to providing protection for all those rights. 4. Accordingly, the role played by the NIHR in the field of human rights protection and promotion will be discussed in this Chapter in two main topics: the first of which is dedicated to showcase its efforts in the field of human rights protection, while the second topic will be devoted to reviewing its efforts in the field of promoting those rights. 86