Three Bahraini Human Rights organizations will participate in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the 19th of September, headed by Faisal Foulad.
The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society, Gulf-European Center for Human Rights in Bahrain and a delegation from the Bahrain Network for Human Rights will attend the event in Geneva in which the Government of Bahrain will provide their responses on 176 recommendations, including the one concerning the Jaffari (Shi’ite) Court’s ruling on family law.
The UPR will also address any documented violations in Bahrain after May 21, 2011, including a complaint filed by the Bahrain Commission for Women`s Rights regarding the Jaffari Court’s decision on a family law, and the Commission’s rejection of Ayatollah Isa Qassim and Al-Wefaq’s policies specifically contradicting women’s rights. A proposal was submitted to the Secretary-General of the UN by Commission Chairwoman Rabab Jassim and Bahraini Shiite women affected by decision of Jaffari jurisprudence.
The Gulf European Human Rights Center and the Bahrain Network for Human Rights are supporting the Commission for Women’s Rights. A local and international campaign has been organized to support the request to amend the second part of the Jaffari family law, and to conduct an all-inclusive report that documents cases of domestic violence.
Amending the family law to cover Shiite women has been cited by HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa as a necessity for the protection of Bahraini families. MPs of the Bahrain Bloc have made the proposed family law for Shiites their top priority for when they resume their sessions in October.