The Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Faisal bin Jabur Al Doseri, met today the Assistant Undersecretary of Community Development at the Ministry of Labour and Social Development and Deputy Chairman of the National Commission for Childhood, Khalid Abdulrahman Eshaq, and a number of the commission’s members to discuss preparing reports of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations to accede the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Assistant Foreign Minster hailed efforts of the Labour and Social Development Minister and Chairman of the Commission, Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Hamaidan, and the members of the commission, in monitoring all aspects of child affairs, including holding and encouraging all activities and programs related to raising awareness and childhood development.
He cited the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Bahrain’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, within its celebrations of the International Day of the Child.
He praised the National Commission for Childhood was praised for its great efforts by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, during the successful participation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the meetings of the (80th) session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, in which the Kingdom discussed its combined fourth to sixth periodic reports, and reviewed its efforts in the areas of implementation of this convention, including its implementation of the National Childhood Strategy 2013-2017, which was extended for another five years.
Al Doseri discussed with the members of the National Commission the draft reports on children's rights, the first regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and the second regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
Bahrain attaches great importance to human rights and made its principles a key element in development plans and strategies, and strengthened its progress and success by approving multiple human rights laws.
It has also implemented advanced qualitative programs that contributed to the best human rights practices, especially in the field of protecting children's rights, which were achieved thanks to the high attention paid by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, to childhood, its programs and development at all advanced levels.
The draft reports highlighted all national legislations, procedures and efforts taken to implement the provisions of the two protocols that include legal and institutional frameworks, especially criminal laws, remedies and its methods, preventive measures, victims' protection, rehabilitation and reintegration into society, and international assistance and cooperation in implementing the purposes and provisions of the two protocols
The National Commission for Childhood has prepared a draft of the aforementioned reports in accordance with the guidelines of the United Nations after holding a number of extensive consultations in cooperation and coordination with all stakeholders from the High Coordinating Committee for Human Rights, ministries, governmental and official institutions, and civil society in preparation to submit it to the relevant authorities during the coming period.
SOURCE : BAHRAINNEWSAGENCY