Chaired by the Assistant Foreign Minister, Abdulla bin Faisal bin Jabur Al-Doseri, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the second coordination meeting with governmental and official bodies concerned with the final preparation of the discussion of the first report of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to be presented to the Human Rights Committee in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 and 4 July, which affirms the continued commitment to Bahrain's international and regional human rights obligations.
The Assistant Foreign Minister explained that the report was prepared according to the international guidelines and the professional and technical standards used in the preparation of the UN reports in coordination with the authorities concerned in the country, and in consultation with stakeholders and representatives of civil society, taking into consideration all the proposals and opinions presented during the meetings that took place during the report preparation process.
Al Doseri affirmed that the report highlights the framework through which the Covenant is applied, the rights stipulated therein, and the legislative and non-legislative steps taken by the Kingdom of Bahrain to guarantee these rights.
The report concludes by stating that the fundamentals of the political system in the Kingdom of Bahrain and its developments illustrate the noble values and progress achieved in the political, economic, social and cultural aspects, taking into consideration the challenges that require continuous development and the use of relevant experiences to build a modern state in terms of political and constitutional frameworks, considering local, regional and international developments.
The Assistant Foreign Minister noted the Kingdom of Bahrain's keenness to promote awareness of human rights, spread a spirit of tolerance and moderation through various media and educational curricula, strengthen partnerships with civil society and non-governmental organizations, continue to cooperate with international human rights bodies on a transparent and objective basis and promote the protection of human rights.
It should be noted that article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides that States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to submit reports on the measures they have adopted which represent the realization of the rights recognized therein and on the progress made in the enjoyment of these rights.
The Human Rights Committee examines the reports submitted by States Parties and provides States with a list of issues that need to be answered well in advance of the discussion, as well as other questions and queries to be presented during the discussion process.
Source: Bahrain News Agency