Trafficking battle call
By BEGENA P PRADEEP

BAHRAIN must step up the battle against human trafficking, according to a new US State Department report.

The country remains on a special watchlist of nations being monitored for what action they are taking to combat the problem, despite issuing new guidelines on the employment conditions of migrant workers.

Bahrain was one of 170 nations included in the ninth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP), which said it did little to improve its services to protect victims of trafficking.

Bahrain Backtracks on Workers’ Rights Reform
Written by Rachelle Kliger
Published Monday, June 15, 2009
Bahrain has decided not to revoke a system that has been criticized for violating the rights of foreign workers.

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) said it would not be canceling the sponsorship system, which stipulates that foreign workers in the Gulf country must be sponsored by an employee in order to obtain a work visa and cannot switch jobs freely.

The Bahraini Authorities Recruit of Mercenaries from Makran Town, Pakistan: The Bahrain Government's use of foreign mercenaries to oppress Bahraini people with legitimate demands and grievances leads to a growing hostility towards foreigners
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights

6/6/2009

13/5/2009
(Beirut) - Bahrain's revision of its restrictive kafala (sponsorship) system will dramatically improve the status of most migrant workers and reduce their risk of exploitation, Human Rights Watch said today. But the protections should be extended to migrant domestic workers, who are especially vulnerable to employer abuse, Human Rights Watch said.

The Situation
of Women Migrant Domestic Workers in Bahrain

Report submitted to the 42nd session of the CEDAW Committee
October 2008

Table of contents
I. Introduction 3
1. Overview of the major violations of women's rights in Bahrain 3
2. The particular vulnerability of women migrant domestic workers 3

II. The situation of women migrant domestic workers 5
1. Lack of legal protection and the kafala system 5
2. Violence against women migrant domestic workers 7
3. Lack of access to justice 7
4. Trafficking 10

III. Recommendations 12

IV. Annex 14
1. Relevant provisions of CEDAW 14
2. Sources 16

Human Rights watch -Bahrain
Events of 2008
Human rights conditions in Bahrain deteriorated in 2008. Despite the important reforms that the king, Shaikh Hamad bin `Isa al-Khalifa, adopted in 2001-02, the government has done little to institutionalize human rights protections in law. The government continues to subject freedom of expression, assembly, and association to arbitrary restrictions. People detained after demonstrators and security forces clashed in Manama in December 2007 alleged they were tortured.

Congress to Discuss Religious Freedom in Bahrain Wednesday
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following letter by Reps. Frank R. Wolf, James P. McGovern and Trent Franks is being redistributed today by Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain:

Dear Colleague,

By BEGENA P PRADEEP
Published: 20th October 2008

BAHRAIN's bureaucratic legal system is discouraging expatriates from filing cases against their sponsors, claims a human rights report.

The Situation of Women Migrant Domestic Workers, compiled by the Bahrain Centre of Human Rights (BCHR), points out that Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) has been unsuccessful at resolving cases against sponsors in the courts.

The report also documents major problems faced by women in Bahrain, the problem of the existing sponsorship system and the need for a comprehensive labour law.

Bahrain Rights Groups Call to Protect Expat Women Workers
Suad Hamada

21 October 2008 Print E-mail
MANAMA — Three human rights groups on Sunday called for urgent steps to protect expat women workers in Bahrain from alleged abuse.

In a report to be submitted to the 42nd session of the Committee of the Convention of the Elimination for Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to be held this month, the three groups pointed to the suffering of women workers and asked the panel to pressure the government to take action.

Bahrain Rights Groups Call to Protect Expat Women Workers
Suad Hamada

21 October 2008
MANAMA — Three human rights groups on Sunday called for urgent steps to protect expat women workers in Bahrain from alleged abuse.

In a report to be submitted to the 42nd session of the Committee of the Convention of the Elimination for Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to be held this month, the three groups pointed to the suffering of women workers and asked the panel to pressure the government to take action.