Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Bahrain (Ratification: 1981)

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Trafficking in persons. Institutional framework. In its report, the Government refers to the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons (NCCHP), established pursuant to Law No. 1 of 2008 on Combating Trafficking in Persons and reinstated in 2022, which is responsible for developing programmes to prevent and combat trafficking in persons; protecting victims; supporting research, information and media campaigns; and coordinating with State departments on this issue. In addition, the Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity-Building for Combating Trafficking in Persons, operational since 2021, provides training programmes for government employees and specialists in the area of identification of potential victims of trafficking in persons and developing care services. The Centre has implemented many training programmes for the police, civil aviation, justice and judiciary sectors, public prosecutors and investigators, as well as for independent lawyers, personnel from the healthcare and media sectors and labour inspectors. he Committee encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to combat trafficking in persons and requests it to continue providing information on the activities undertaken by the NCCHT and the Regional Centre of Excellence and Capacity-Building for Combating Trafficking in Persons, as well as on any assessment of the results achieved and difficulties encountered. It also requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to develop a national policy or action plan to combat trafficking in persons with a view to ensuring coordinated and systematic action in this regard.

Protection of victims. The Government indicates that the Expat Protection Centre offers an array of services to victims of trafficking in persons, including shelter, clothing, food, healthcare, psychotherapy, legal counselling, transportation and translation services, as well as family reunion if this is necessary and financial support to assist victims in returning to their home country if requested. Moreover, an assistance fund for victims of trafficking in persons was established which provides monthly a financial support to victims throughout their stay at the Expat Protection Centre. Between 2021, 2022 and 2023, 83 victims benefited from financial, health and judicial support services. The Committee encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure that victims of trafficking receive adequate protection and assistance, and to ensure that they receive full and timely information about their rights. It requests the Government to continue providing information on the victims identified, those who have received assistance, and those awarded compensation.

Prosecution. The Government indicates that it has established a specialized prosecution unit to investigate cases of trafficking in persons that aids in the investigation and legal definition of cases of trafficking in persons and helps ensure their prompt conclusion. The Committee takes due note that between 2021 and 2023, 47 cases of trafficking in persons were recorded, involving 84 victims, and sentences ranging from one year to life imprisonment were imposed to approximately 97 accused persons. In the same time period, 15 convictions were recorded in the context of eight cases of forced labour.

The Committee also notes that, while welcoming the measures taken by the Government, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, in its concluding observations of 2 March 2023 (CEDAW/C/BHR/CO/4), noted with concern the reports that trafficking victims are reluctant to file complaints owing to fear of retribution or deportation. It also noted with concern that women in prostitution are criminalized and that there is a lack of information on measures to prosecute cases of exploitation of women in prostitution. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to strengthen the capacities of the law enforcement bodies and ensure the proper identification and investigation of cases of trafficking both for labour and sexual exploitation, as well as the prosecution of the perpetrators It requests the Government to provide information in this regard as well on the measures taken to ensure that victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are treated as victims, and not offenders. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on investigations conducted, the number of prosecutions initiated, convictions secured, and penalties imposed under Law No. 1 of 2008 on Combating Trafficking in Persons.