Bahrain hopes to keep new shelter 'empty'

Bahrain hopes to keep the new shelter for victims of human trafficking 'empty', officials said.

This was told during the opening of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)'s state-of-the-art facility in Sehla by the Minister of Labour and Social Development Jameel Humaidan.

"Today, we inaugurate not only a shelter for victims of trafficking. We inaugurate what we hope will keep this shelter empty," LMRA official said.

"This endeavour we embark on takes into account the latest advances in the school of thought of those concerned with the crime of trafficking in persons; which is to provide protection and assistance to the most vulnerable segments in society before they are exploited into victimisation.

"What we have here today is a testimony towards the seriousness that Bahrain deals with this issue, it is the product of directives from the kingdom's leadership, cooperation from the kingdom's executive bodies, and a strong sense of responsibility from the kingdom's civil society, NGO's, and professionals."

The official continued to explain that the shelter contained an Expat Protection Unit, the Grievances and Embassy Liaison Directorate, the Expat Services Section, and legal aid and consultation, as well as all pivotal departments and roles of the LMRA.

It also hosts representation from the CIO's identity card division to issue identity cards for dependants and families. It also hosts a training facility aimed to bring closer all those engaged in combatting this crime and providing aid and assistance to the exploited.

The shelter has an around-the-clock emergency line, manned with speakers of seven languages, where the number 995 was assigned, as well as medical and psychiatric services will be made available by volunteers from three private hospitals.

All these services will work towards providing awareness, assistance, aid, and consultation to protect people from becoming victims, continued the official.

"We are also prepared to receive and assist victims," he said. "The shelter has a capacity of 120, which can be expanded to 200 if the need arises and all managed by the National Referral Mechanism which the UNODC is providing assistance for in establishing, in accordance with international best practices.

"I must here give my sincere thanks and gratitude to my friend Dr. Hatem Ali, the regional representative. For through his assistance, this week's agenda is full of activities that aim at elevating awareness, and building capacity; for amongst us today are representatives of 14 Arab countries, here in Bahrain to attend a forum organized by the UNODC on identifying and assisting victims of TIPs. After that, The following two days will be dedicated towards capacity building of first respondents at a national level through training a workshop delivered by the UNODC. simultaneously the issue is being discussed at the judiciary level through another forum also organized by the UNODC. Finally, in addition to thanking you for honoring us this morning, I must give my personal gratitude to his excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his unyielding support, all the official and unofficial bodies that made this centre a reality within a short six month period, the volunteers and NGOs, my colleagues the members of the NCCTIPs, and my colleagues at the LMRA for working day and night to achieve this today."

Caption : Representative purpose