THE International Labour Organisation (ILO) has been accused of ‘politicising’ issues and pushing a foreign agenda that is against Islamic values and culture.
This biased approach by the Geneva-based UN agency that promotes “social justice and decent work for all” needs to be tackled head-on to ensure that alien concepts do not affect the social fabric of the country, said Bahrain Chamber board member Sonya Janahi.
“One of the most important challenges we face in the ILO is the issue of defining a human being as we feel one cannot be judged based on gender, religion or the colour of their skin ,” said Ms Janahi, who was elected unanimously in 2021 as an alternate ILO member under the Business Owners’ Group category, representing West Asian countries, for a three-year term that ends next year.
“The ILO director-general in the latest budget report has classified human beings into many categories – and this goes against our ethics, culture and religion.”
Addressing a media roundtable at the chamber’s premises in Sanabis yesterday, Ms Janahi said the budget was still on hold because part of it was directed towards the various “categories” of people rather than being used for training and development.
“We want to ensure that these definitions are struck off; the ILO cannot go defining a human being.”
She pointed out that categories such as transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, intersex and other spectrums of gender and sexuality (LGBTQI+) are against the principles and even religion in the Arab countries.
In May last year, the ILO launched a learning guide to contribute to the inclusion of LGBTQI+ people in the workplace. The guide was aimed at representatives of governments, employers, workers’ organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
“Somebody has an agenda and it’s our role, and responsibility to the future generations, that we make sure this agenda does not go through because we don’t want to change our culture,” said Ms Janahi.
“ILO should focus on unions, employers and SMEs. The more an organisation expands, it helps create more jobs and further contributes to the economy.”
“Instead of all this, the focus remains on political issues and definition of individuals.”
She added that there was a domination of European and American unions which were using the ILO as a platform to push their agenda.
“Unfortunately, the ILO is becoming politicised and today a lot of European and other countries are using it, for example, to push economic sanctions on Russia and Belarus.
“We have good relations with many countries, and do not want any relationship to be politicised.”
Meanwhile, Ms Janahi said expats were treated as family in Bahrain with agencies such as the Labour Market Regulatory Authority supporting them.
“We want to show the international community that the Bahrain model is advanced when it comes to social protection, productivity and career path.”
Ms Janahi said the aforementioned issues will be raised at the 111th annual ILO conference in Geneva from June 5-16, which she will be attending alongside Bahrain Chamber chairman and the Union of Arab Chambers president Sameer Nass.
Bahrain has been an ILO member since 1977, ratifying several international conventions covering forced labour, occupational safety, rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons, among others.
Earlier this year, Bahrain’s Parliament had called for immediate action against educational institutions allegedly using material promoting homosexuality. The Shura Council also expressed concerns over the promotion of homosexuality.
Last year, several Islamic, social and charity societies united in a series of displays of anger about ‘ideological brainwashing’.
Billboards, banners and signs were erected across Bahrain to raise awareness about the agenda surrounding Pride Month promotions in an effort to stop innocents being indoctrinated by Western propaganda.
Every year, during this month, LGBTQI+ activists make numerous attempts to raise political awareness of their ideology.
In 2021, 21 MPs submitted an official request to the Foreign Ministry to discuss with the US Embassy in Manama its decision to fly the rainbow flag to celebrate the Pride Month.
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
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