The Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, Ahmed Al -Salloum, stressed that Bahrain has achieved pioneering achievements in the field of combating crimes of trafficking in persons, thanks to the good vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of the country’s great country, and direct support from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and the integrated system adopted by the Kingdom that reflects its deep commitment to preserving human rights and promoting human rights.
He explained that the Bahraini excellence in this file was evident by the Kingdom’s retaining for several years in a row in the first category by classifying the US State Department to combat trafficking in people, which reflects international confidence in the Bahraini national system, and confirms its efficiency and response to the highest international standards.
Al -Salloum pointed out that this advanced achievement would not have been achieved without the integration of the national efforts of the relevant government agencies, foremost of which was the Ministry of Interior, which has implemented a series of qualitative measures in the field of confronting the crimes of trafficking in persons, was the development of monitoring and inspection mechanisms, the establishment of specialized units, and the intensification of field campaigns on workplaces and collective housing, as well as launching awareness programs for the most vulnerable groups For exploitation, which strengthened the capabilities of law enforcement devices in early detection and active dealing with these crimes.
He also praised the pivotal role played by the Public Prosecution, as Bahrain was a forerunner in establishing a prosecutor specialized in crimes of trafficking in persons, which contributed to accelerating litigation procedures and ensuring the provision of legal protection for the victims, as well as its contribution to enhancing international cooperation in the judicial field through the exchange of experiences and best practices with their counterparts in other countries.
Al -Salloum noted the prominent efforts made by the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, which launched a number of leading initiatives to enhance the protection of expatriate workers, the most prominent of which is the inauguration of the employment support and protection center that provides integrated legal and shelter services, as well as activating smart control systems on the work environment, and following up the commitment of employers to the standards of safe and fair employment, in a way that achieves balance and preserves the dignity of the worker.
He also praised the prominent role played by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in supporting the file of combating trafficking in people at the international level, by highlighting Bahrain’s achievements in diplomatic forums, and coordination with diplomatic missions abroad, as well as enhancing cooperation with the competent international and regional organizations, which contributed to raising the Kingdom’s rankings globally, and consolidating its image as a country that respects rights and protects dignity.
Al -Salloum stressed that the House of Representatives highly values these efforts, and believes in the importance of the legislative and supervisory partnership in promoting legal protection and developing relevant national legislation, calling for the continued investment in raising societal awareness, and enabling civil society institutions to contribute a greater role in protecting society from this cross -border crime.
