The Upper House of Parliament agreed to form a permanent Human Rights Committee in their Chamber to bring human rights issues to the forefront of the legislative body.
The inception came as a result of a recommendation from the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee in light of the prevalent issues of the Kingdom. Apart from improving the human rights sphere with addressing new legislation, it will also examine Bahrain’s current laws to ensure they are in accordance with the international standards and treaties Bahrain is a member of.
This decision was further reinforced by the recent visit of International Crisis Group (ICG) official Joost Hiltermann to the Ministry of Human Rights Affairs in light of the Government’s commitment to the transparency of its democratic and human rights reforms. Moreover, this decision is in line with the implementation of the UN Universal Periodic Review recommendations accepted in September 2012.