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Country : Bahrain

Topic Area : The Rights of Indigenous People

Committee : United Nations Human Right Council

The landmark adoption of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People in 2007 hasproven that United Nations Human Rights Council has played an important role in the issue,which helps the indigenous populations in the universe to get their proper rights. But, evenwith the declaration has been adopted in many countries in the world, but still, millions of

people are still forced to live without these fundamental rights. Some of them are stillbecoming the victim of discrimination, inequalities and exclusion as well as having minimunaccess to education, health care, political participation, etc. This is not right, its like the lawof the rights of indigenous people hasnt been taken into force yet by all states. Thegoverment of Bahrain believes the issue of the rights of indigenous people need to be taken

seriously and recognizes it as emerging and increasing problem in the global society.Bahrain admits the irreplaceable status of indigenous people. Bahrain population comprisesof foreign people and the indigenous people, where currently the number of foreign peoplewho live in Bahrain exceeds the number of indigenous people in the country. In the past, therelations between Shiia population which is the indigenous population and other populationin the nation wasnt quite good. The present king, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, who hasruled since 1999, has made an improvement of relations with the Shiia population part of his

promised package of reforms. Despite the improvements over the past decade, Shiiapopulation disadvantage and discrimination continues but Bahrains goverment are currentlystriving to make a better conditions of the indigenous people and it should be noted that thegoverment of Bahrain has given the Shiia population access to a Jaafari Shiia court, funded

by the state and to have their own mosque. Bahrain has also formed a national humanrights commission to promote and protect the rights of all people in the state and It will also

be actively engaged in capacity building of human rights issues among government and civilinstitutions and in supporting a human rights-based approach to development.

Bahrain are now considering its position on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights ofIndigenous People. Bahrain agrees that those peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, asa collective or as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized inthe Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights andinternational human rights law. Indigenous peoples and individuals are free and equal to allother peoples and individuals and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination, in

the exercise of their rights, in particular that based on their indigenous origin or identity.Indigenous peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freelydetermine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and culturaldevelopment. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct

political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their rights toparticipate fully, if they so choose, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of theState.

Taking participation to the problem, Bahrain believes that in order to end discrimination anddisadvantage of indigenous poeple, there should be a promoting action in the nations which

promotes the equality between indigenous people and non-indigenous people. It is alsoneeded to urge people in the nations combating the discrimination and contributing in

providing support and protection for victims. It is important too for international communityto still monitor the implementation of the declaration by all member states to ensure the rights

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of indigenous people. Bahrain believes that by getting the answer of the confusion regardingthe distinction between indigenous people and tribal people could help the internationalcommunity to make appropriate resolution for the indigenous people. Bahrain also believesthat by showing the raising positive influence of a country which has been adopted thedeclaration well in their own country could encourage all states to produce supportive

policies regarding the issue. Bahrain also believes that UN involvement in the issue can helpgovernments establish a system that will provide rights for these indigenous people withoutviolating the rights of other people in the country.