Manama: The first session of the preparatory workshops for the National Human Rights Plan (2027-2031) commenced under the theme "The Role of Human Rights Diplomacy in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights."
According to Bahrain News Agency, the session, held remotely, was moderated by Ambassador Dr. Arwa Hasan Al-Sayed, Chief of the Human Rights Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The first working session, titled "The Role of the National Human Rights Plan in Enhancing National Policies," featured speakers including Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Bahrain's Ambassador to the United States; Ambassador Dr. Yousef Abdulkarim Bucheeri, Director-General of Legal Affairs and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Khaled Abdul Salam Al Mekwad, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bahrain; and Abdulla Isa Al Mannai, Executive Director of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence.
The subsequent session, "International Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals as a Comprehensive Human Rights Framework," explored the role of international collaboration in advancing human rights through the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Speakers included Dana Hamza, Assistant Undersecretary for Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Sustainable Development; Professor Noura Al Rashoud, Executive Director of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); Asmaa Shalabi, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Bahrain; Ambassador Abdulla Abdullatif Abdulla, Bahrain's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva; and Ambassador Jamal Al Ruwaei, Bahrain's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
The third session, "Enhancing Bilateral and Multilateral Efforts to Advance Rights and Responsibilities in Bahrain," featured contributions from Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Kingdom; Steven C. Bondy, Ambassador of the United States to Bahrain; Alastair Long, British Ambassador to Bahrain; and Reham Abdelhamid Mahmoud Ibrahim Khalil, Ambassador of Egypt to Bahrain.
Speakers in the first workshop discussed leading practices and experiences in human rights diplomacy and its growing role in advancing and safeguarding human rights at both national and international levels. Discussions also focused on leveraging diplomatic engagement, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to support national, regional, and international policies and strategies, fostering a deeper and more effective understanding of human rights frameworks.