Bahrain has adopted the best international practices and implemented advanced legislation to combat human trafficking, a minister has said.
Foreign Minister and chairman of the National Human Rights Committee Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani and Labour Minister Jameel Humaidan yesterday asserted that the kingdom continues to make efforts to protect the rights of workers, and further ensure humanitarian and financial support to victims of human trafficking.
They were speaking ahead of the United Nations World Day against Trafficking in Persons that is marked globally today to raise awareness of the plight of human trafficking victims, and promote and protect their rights.
This year’s theme is ‘Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking’. The global campaign focuses on the vulnerability of children and calls for accelerated action to end child trafficking.
The Foreign Minister praised the achievements of Bahrain and its success in achieving integration between its pioneering initiatives in the field of children’s rights and combating trafficking in persons, which resulted in a comprehensive system to protect children and preserve human dignity.
Dr Al Zayani affirmed Bahrain’s continued human rights and civilisational achievements in combating human trafficking and imposing the rule of law.
Mr Humaidan said, “Bahrain’s efforts to combat human trafficking is a model that is to be emulated by different nations because it adopts international standards.”
“The human rights system and policies to ensure decent work environment is part of the comprehensive development process led by His Majesty King Hamad and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.”
The minister highlighted programmes such as the Optional Insurance System for Domestic Workers, the tripartite contract (employer, employee and recruitment office) for household staff and other initiatives.
He also cited the Wage Protection Scheme launched in phases by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), under which employers have to compulsorily transfer salaries of staff into their bank accounts.
Mr Humaidan also spoke about the state-of-the-art Expat Protection Centre in Sehla, operated by the LMRA, that provides a wide range of services to male and female victims and potential victims of human trafficking.
“The centre provides medical, counselling, legal consultations and other services including financial support to victims,” he added.
In addition, trafficking victims identified by court are also offered job placements by the government, and official trafficking victims who stay in Bahrain for the duration of the trial are provided a monthly allowance of BD93 via its Victim Assistance Fund.
The watchdog also operates a Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity Building for Combating Trafficking in Persons that has trained several personnel, including government staff, in identifying victims or potential victims.
Authorities in 2022 announced the establishment of a new specialised Prosecution Unit for cases of trafficking in persons, housed within the Public Prosecution. It continues to deal with cases of forced labour, withholding wages and other violations in which exploitation may arise in the form of trafficking in persons.
Mr Humaidan said the Public Prosecution Office (PPO)’s Trafficking in Persons Unit has helped clear several cases and support victims.
“Bahrain will continue to enhance the systems for preventing human trafficking and further develop national legislation to review and evaluate the measures taken to protect workers from any form of exploitation,” said Mr Humaidan.
The minister also highlighted Bahrain’s achievements as it maintained top ranking in combating human trafficking for the seventh consecutive year, according to the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2024 released last month by the US State Department.
It placed Bahrain in Tier 1 status – the only GCC country recognised as being fully compliant with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards for elimination of human trafficking.
It acknowledges that the Interior Ministry, during the reporting period (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024), investigated 46 cases (involving 66 alleged traffickers) – 17 for sex trafficking, 27 for labour trafficking and two cases involving both.
This compares with 42 cases (involving 59 alleged traffickers) – eight for sex trafficking and 34 for forced labour – in the 2022 report.
Officials prosecuted 19 perpetrators, including 13 alleged sex traffickers, two alleged labour traffickers and four defendants for both sex and labour trafficking crimes; this compares with the prosecution of 19 defendants in 2022.
The government identified 22 trafficking victims, compared with 27 in the previous reporting period. The 22 included 15 female sex trafficking victims, three labour trafficking victims (two females and one male) and four female victims of both sex and labour trafficking.
The LMRA referred 32 potential trafficking cases to the PPO’s Trafficking in Persons Unit – 31 for labour trafficking and one for sex trafficking.
The government allocated BD197,191 for victim protection and assistance, according to the TIP 2024 report.
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