Information Affairs Authority, Geneva, 12 September 2012: The Government of Bahrain submitted its UPR response to the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday, 12 September 2012.  The Government has approved 156 out of 176 recommendations set by the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review last May.

 
“The Kingdom has approved 143 recommendations fully and endorsed 13 others partially”, Human Rights Affairs Minister HE Dr. Salah bin Ali Abdurrahman said.

 
Dr. Salah stressed Bahrain’s strides to guarantee citizens’ constitutional rights, promoting legislations and democratic exercise towards achieving comprehensive justice and enforcing the rule of the law. ??Most of the recommendations set by the UN panel last May during Bahrain’s Periodic Review centered on 19 areas relating to human rights. They include penal justice; compensation of victims of the unrest; the law on nationality; teaching and training disabled people; the family law; providing human rights training to public security forces; implementing the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI); the National Human Rights Organization; media and press reform; children’s rights; human trafficking; international human rights covenants; national dialogue; social services; constitutional and legal amendments; safeguards for human rights; building places of worship; women’s rights; and the human rights of activists. ?

 
Additionally, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa issued a royal decree to restructure the National Human Rights Organization (NHRO). The move would enable its directorates to assume its duties fully, consolidate its independence, and strengthen its crucial role as a Human Rights Ombudsman in the Kingdom.

 
The move aims to bring the NHRO in line with the Paris Principles.  The Minister of State for Human Rights, HE Dr. Salah bin Ali, described the move as a “crucial cornerstone in the reform project led by HM the King”.

 
The Minister emphasized the Government’s commitment to the UPR recommendations and their implementation, as such reforms will directly benefit citizens by guaranteeing and safeguarding their rights. He added that 3 UPR recommendations were directly related to aligning the NHRO with the Paris Principles.

 
Dr. Salah reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to follow-up and implementation of these recommendations on the ground over the coming four years and providing regular updates. A UPR Follow-up Committee has been formed with representatives from all ministries to expedite and oversee the implementation process. He announced that the Kingdom would update the UN Human Rights Council on the progress of implementation of approved recommendations by late 2016.

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