CHAPTER ONE Efforts and Activities of the National Institution for Human Rights in the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights during the Emerging Corona virus (COVID-19) Pandemic The provisions of Law No. (26) of 2014 on the Establishment of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR), emphasize its role in the field of promoting human rights. Article (12) thereof, prescribes a set of competences for the NIHR for the purpose of achieving its goals in this regard, through its participation in developing and implementing a national plan for promoting human rights at the Kingdom’s level, reviewing relevant human rights legislation and regulations in effect, recommending the amendments it deems appropriate, in particular with regard to the consistency of such legislation with the Kingdom’s international human rights obligations, and recommending the introduction of new legislation pertaining to human rights. Moreover, these provisions mandate the NIHR to hold conferences and to organize educational and training seminars and courses in the field of human rights, to conduct research and studies in this regard, to participate in local forums and in the meetings of regional and international organizations, as well as to issue bulletins, flyers, printed materials, data, and special reports and to post them on its website. Hence, this chapter addresses two main topics, namely, the NIHR’s efforts and activities in the field of human rights protection during the emerging coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and its efforts and activities in promoting human rights during the Covid-19 pandemic. NIHR Bahrain- Eighth Annual Report 2020 9