The “protection” of human rights is the main pillar corresponding to the role of national human rights institutions in promoting these rights, and this was clearly demonstrated in the “Paris Principles”, especially when these principles granted the NIHRs quasi-judicial powers through their authority to receive, study and refer complaints related to human rights to the relevant bodies and to follow-up, while informing the concerned parties of the procedures to be followed, and assisting them in settling them with the concerned authorities. The role of national institutions in the field of “protection” also includes conducting a monitoring process for everything that might prejudice the right of individuals to enjoy the rights and public freedoms assigned to them. The monitoring process constitutes a necessary means to ascertain the degree and extent of the state’s respect for its legal or international obligations related to human rights. Such “protection” also requires that NIHR’s carry out field visits to places where human rights violations are likely to occur. In order to continue the effective role of the NIHR in the field of protection, promotion and development of human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain, it made sure that its strategy and work plan for the years (2022-2025) are in line with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s National Human Rights Plan, noting that the NIHR participated in a number of workshops to prepare the national plan, as the National Institution expressed its observations on the first and second drafts of that plan based on the request received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard, and this comes in implementation of Article (12) - Paragraph (A) of the establishing Law, which stated that the competence of the NIHR is “to participate in the production and implementation of a national plan for the promotion and protection of Human Rights in the Kingdom.” Noting that a number of local authorities participated in the preparation and drafting of that plan, as well as a number of agencies and United Nations mechanisms, especially the United Nations team in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in order to activate permanent coordination and continuous local, regional and international cooperation in promoting and protecting human rights. The NIHR took into account that its strategy and action plan for the years (2022-2025) should be fully consistent with the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain aimed at strengthening cooperation with regional and international organizations in the field of human rights, as the Kingdom recently approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, which aims to enhance cooperative work between the two sides in the areas of technical assistance, capacity-building and programs for promoting a culture of human rights. 3