HEALTHCARE workers, teachers and caretakers who fail to report suspected cases of domestic violence to the authorities will be left off the hook as MPs threw out proposed new rules to penalise them.
Twenty-two MPs rejected amendments to the 2015 Protection from Domestic Violence Law, eight approved the changes and four abstained from the 34 MPs present at the weekly session yesterday.
The amendments, originally presented by former MPs and backed by the government, aimed to ensure such professionals step forward and seek action as soon as they come across suspected victims of violence or abuse in homes.
The amendments, which sought jail or fine, or both, for failure to report within 48 hours, have now been referred for review to the Shura Council by acting speaker and second deputy speaker Ahmed Qarata.
Mr Qarata was chairing the session for the first time due to Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam and first deputy speaker Abdulnabi Salman taking part in overseas events.
Debate on the law was suspended in April this year as a war of words broke out in Parliament.
The row ensued as Mr Qarata at the time criticised the Bahrain Women’s Union (BWU) for their written feedback on the definition of domestic violence.
He was backed by MP Jalal Kadhem, who claimed that the BWU was damaging the society’s fabric with its far-fetched demands.
However, several MPs objected to the comments and called for it to be erased from the records.
Mr Al Musallam agreed to the demand, but MP Eman Shuwaiter demanded an apology from Mr Qarata, and he apologised after the legislation was withdrawn.
Mr Kadhem led an onslaught on the amendments saying they were Western-oriented and fed by international organisations that don’t know anything about the Bahraini community.
“There has to be disciplinary action at home against children for misbehaviour and according to the original law it includes financial punishment, which is stopping the monthly allowance as an example,” he explained.
“So, the child goes to the teacher to complain, and the case is reported to social workers or the police, as obliged by the new amendments.
“This puts one or both parents in jail and causes more harm than achieve anything.
“This foreign, Western concept fed by international bodies and backed by women’s organisations in Bahrain should be thrown out.”
He added that not everything that seemed to be “right” was justified.
“Homosexuals have rights in many countries, do we want protection laws for them to be introduced in Bahrain?”
He said the Western world was sensitive to logic.
“Foreigners have children out of wedlock and then due to alcoholism or physical abuse or any other case get their children removed from them and sent to foster families where they are sexually abused, especially girls, because they are not their actual children.”
MP Mohammed Al Maarafi said the move would turn professionals, who should be focused on their work, into informants.
“The law already punishes abuse and it is apparent so there is no need to create informants out of decent professionals.
“The cases were not many and could be handled by responsible officials.”
He was backed by legislative and legal affairs committee vice-chairman Mahmood Fardan, who said the 1976 Penal Code alongside active legislations were enough.
Foreign affairs, defence and national security committee chairman Abdulla Al Romaihi said the amendments were necessary because there was a case of a father abusing his autistic daughter in an apartment building Isa Town, locking her in the toilet and only opening to give her food.
“This case came to light on Monday and there are more and more victims who need someone to report their cases.”
Meanwhile, the MPs voted in favour of amendments to the 2006 Social Welfare Law that would give the Prime Minister power to add new categories of beneficiaries that are not mentioned in the law, depending on the need.
Parliament’s services committee recommended that the Shura Council’s amendments to the law be passed as they were more accurate.
Financial and economic affairs committee chairwoman Zainab Abdulamir said the move would be subject to the whims and fancies of the Cabinet, which Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain denied.
Present during the debate was Social Development Minister Osama Al Asfoor.
It will be now ratified by His Majesty King Hamad.
MPs also voted in favour of amendments to the 2002 Shura Council Bylaws Law that would see the closing financial statement presented to the chairman in a maximum of three months following the end of the year.
The chairman has the authority to ask for an opinion from the financial and economic affairs committee before a vote is taken by members.
The Parliament also voted in favour of establishing three new probe committees into Gulf Air, outsourcing, and Bahrainisation in the private and government sectors.
The members also voted on the line-up of the new medical services probe committee approved last week.
MP Dr Mahdi Al Shuwaikh was elected chairman and Mr Al Romaihi as vice-chairman.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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