Labour Market Regulatory Authority’s (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons, H.E. Jamal Abdulaziz Al Alawi, stressed the importance of unifying concepts and visions on exploitation practices in workplace. He underlined the importance of the ongoing coordination among concerned authorities and the reinforcement of trafficking in persons’ case management mechanisms.
Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity Building for Combatting Trafficking in Persons (RCoE) held a three-day workshop, starting 6th February 2022, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Al Alawi stressed that the RCoE continues to deliver its training programs from a regional perspective, in light of Bahrain’s pioneering position in combating trafficking in persons. The programs are within an integrated human rights strategy to achieve the goals of the comprehensive development process, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Acting Undersecretary for Consular and Administrative Affairs, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons, H.E. Ambassador Khalil Yaqoub Al-Khayat, emphasized on Bahrain’s keenness to further bolster the pillars of equality and promote human rights. He also noted HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister’s directives to continue developing procedures to protect human rights and prevent malpractices in work environments that violate Bahrain’s culture, based on equality, rights and duties.
National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons prioritizes building the capacity of personnel to identify practices of labour exploitation and trafficking, prosecute perpetrators, ensuring justice for victims and consolidating the cooperation among the concerned authorities, H.E. Al-Khayat added.
Trafficking in Persons Chief Prosecutor, Member of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons, Advocate General, Consultant Dr. Ali Al-Shuwaikh, stressed the keenness of the Public Prosecution to play an active role, exchange expertise and practices in dealing with cases of trafficking in persons. He also showcased the procedures of criminal investigation, its challenges and the methods to overcome them, in accordance with the best international practices. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation among law enforcement bodies, as well as the community’s responsibility to comply with the law within a unified vision to combat trafficking in persons.
Head of the High Criminal Justice Court, Judge Jassim Mohammed Al Ajlan, reiterated Bahrain’s commitment to international standards, stressing the Kingdom’s strides in combating trafficking in persons and the leading position Bahrain has achieved in that area. He also underlined the Supreme Judicial Council’s commitment to further develop the skills and capabilities in the field of combating trafficking in persons and exploitation in workplace, prompting the ability of identifying and protecting victims on one hand, while bringing perpetrators to justice on the other.
The workshop shed light on key issues related to exploitation in the work environment, focusing mainly on forced labor in international and regional instruments and agreements, and national legislation, as well as the best practices of criminal investigations in cases of forced labor.
It also stressed the importance of identifying the role of the concerned authorities. In addition to reviewing the National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Trafficking in Persons in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
