Manama: In light of the integration of the work of the institutions in Bahrain concerned with the care of children, women and the family, the Public Prosecution finds that its duties in providing protection and welfare, while carrying out its judicial duties, calls it to extend its role in contributing to these remarkable national efforts. This is to be achieved by accelerating the prosecution of criminal cases relating to these categories. This requires protection and care, making recommendations and submitting proposals to reduce the number of these cases and their causes.
The Public Prosecution has been given the authority in law to take measures to protect and care for children, women and the family in general, in the belief that this meets the aims of the legislator to provide the greatest degree of protection and welfare for these groups. This is in order to achieve the stability and security of society, and for everyone to enjoy positive living conditions in which they exercise, with confidence, freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the National Charter.
In acknowledgment of the foregoing, the Public Prosecution proposes this initiative for the participation of the concerned authorities, institutions and civil society services in Bahrain in providing aspects of welfare and protection for the above-mentioned groups in a manner that achieves the purposes of the Constitution and the law in protecting these groups.
The Initiative:
The concept behind the initiative stems from the Equal Opportunities Committee at the Public Prosecution, where an analytical study was prepared based on 425 criminal cases. The study identified basic needs raising from the causes of crime whether psychological, economic or social. It also found that eliminating these causes requires solidarity and a contribution from the public institutions in Bahrain in providing the necessary care through the services that they provide.
The Public Prosecution believes that its role as the representative of the society in criminal cases is greater than just conducting investigations with an offender and holding them criminally accountable without considering the reasons behind their perpetration of a crime or limiting its role in the welfare provided during the lawsuit procedures. That is how the idea of the initiative to provide aftercare for children, women and the family was born.
This initiative seeks to provide welfare to the said groups as follows:
- During the investigation procedures and in coordination with social and psychological experts, the Public Prosecution monitors the cases of broken families, abused women, and children’s delinquency or their exposure to danger. It is followed by identifying any psychological, economic or social reasons that could be addressed in order to prevent the recurrence of crime or domestic violence cases, or to correct the behaviour. Accordingly, it takes the initiative of liaising with the concerned authorities whose services are supposed to provide the necessary care.
- Once the sentence or measure is completed, as the case may be, the Execution and Aftercare Office at the Family and Child Prosecution and the concerned office at the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs follow up on cases related to families. The follow-up targets convicted children, women or the family provider who have been provided, or their families, with care to ensure that they enjoy the services offered to them according to their needs.
Objectives of the Initiative:
- Cooperate with the authorities concerned with the support, welfare and protection of children, women and the family, and with the services provided by the public institutions.
- Contribute to the elimination of social, material and personal causes that lead to crime, and to the protection of children and women, as well as eliminating difficulties and solving issues that lead to family breakdown.
- Enhance the role of civil society organizations in caring for children, women and the family, as well as reviving both their and private institutions’ role in supporting judicial welfare, protection procedures and evaluating their impact.
- Contribute to the development of national strategies in the field of welfare assistance in order to achieve the principle of social integration.
- Reach the appropriate levels of care for children and women involved in a criminal case, to provide follow-up care after the case adjudication, in addition to the care accompanying the case procedures.
Mechanism for Implementation:
- Track and monitor the personal issues and circumstances that motivate crime or illegal practices against the said groups and prepare and analyse quantitative and qualitative statistics.
- Inform the public agencies and civil society organizations of the needs or issues that the Public Prosecution monitors that lead to crime, exposure to danger, maltreatment or violence directed at children, women or the family. This is reinforced by the Public Prosecution’s recommendations and the services it offers to meet those needs, such as health, education, living and other services[1]. In addition, it will offer solutions to social, material and personal issues, for the purpose of eliminating the effects arising from crime and cases of exposure to danger, maltreatment, violence, and other issues that threaten family bonds. Also, for the concerned authorities and civil society organizations to consider those recommendations and proposals and to provide the appropriate services and assistance to individuals and families. This is to ensure that the aforementioned groups are covered by the appropriate welfare and protection that the law aims at. Moreover, to take such actions as are deemed appropriate as general steps that support their efforts to protect Bahraini youth and the structure of the Bahraini family and the broader interests of society.’
- Biannual assessment of the initiative, consider observations and formulate development plans for its continuity.
Legal Frameworks:
This initiative is based on:
- Principles of the Constitution and the National Action Charter regarding the support of children, women and the family,
- Royal directives and government directions in caring for the said groups,
- Child Law promulgated by Law No. (37) of 2012,
- Law No. (17) of 2015 on Protection from Domestic Violence,
- Law No. (4) of 2021 on Restorative Justice for Children and their Protection from Maltreatment,
- National strategy to protect women from domestic violence,
- National Strategy for Childhood,
- National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women.
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,
- UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
- UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
This is all in terms of the overall observance of the rights and best interests of the child and the advancement of women and the family, and the national strategies and plans that have adopted in terms of compatibility of initiatives with Bahrain’s directions to ensure family stability and cohesion of family and community.
Partners:
- Ministry of Interior
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments
- Ministry of Labour and Social Development
- Ministry of Housing
- Ministry of Health
- Civil society organizations concerned with children, women and human rights, associations of public interest and individuals authorized to collect donations for religious purposes and charitable funds.
Consultative Supporting Bodies:
The national and international bodies that support the initiative through their contribution to the guidance and awareness programmes concerned with child, woman and the family care in accordance with the principles and strategy of these bodies in this area. Partners are:
- Supreme Council for Women
- Ministry of Information Affairs
- National Contact Centre
- National Committee for Childhood
- UNICEF
- UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Knowledge Partner:
- Judicial and Legal Studies Institute
