The Kingdom of Bahrain has maintained its Tier-1 status in the US Department of State’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons (TiP) Report for the sixth consecutive year. The TiP report assesses the efforts of governments around the world in combatting human trafficking, and a Tier 1 status reflects a country’s full commitment to standards applied by the US ‘Trafficking Victims Protection Act’.

The CEO of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), Nouf Abdulrahman Jamsheer, attributed this international recognition to the leadership’s vision and the Government of Bahrain’s commitment to upholding and protecting the principles of human rights and fighting all forms of human trafficking.

She stressed that maintaining a ‘Tier-1’ status for the sixth year in a row is a testament to the effectiveness of Bahrain’s labour market policies and projects. She highlighted the efforts exerted by the Government of Bahrain, including the Labour Registration Program launched in 2022 to guarantee labour rights and combat irregular practices, as well as the establishment of the Victims and Witnesses Protection Office, to protect victims and witnesses in cases of human trafficking.

LMRA’s CEO added that the Government also set up the National Referral Mechanism for Vulnerable Migrants, established the Expat Protection Centre, set up the Wage Protection System, and established the Regional Centre of Excellence for capacity building in the field of combatting trafficking in persons, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Organization for Migration.

Jamsheer pointed out that the Kingdom is also home to the region’s first anti-human trafficking prosecution, specialized in human trafficking cases, noting the effective collaboration between Government agencies and the National Committee for Combatting Trafficking in Persons, which includes representatives of different segments of government and society.

The CEO affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to work with international partners and share its expertise with countries of the region and the world, to ensure a safe working environment for all, while setting up safeguards to combat human trafficking globally.