U.S. State Department Report: Bahrain maintains Tier-1 status in combating trafficking in persons for the eighth consecutive year
Manama, Sep. 30 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain has achieved another milestone in safeguarding human rights by maintaining its Tier-1 ranking in the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for the eighth consecutive year. This recognition reflects the Kingdom’s distinguished international standing and underscores the success of its comprehensive national efforts to combat trafficking in persons.
The TIP Report is the leading global reference, monitoring the efforts of 188 countries and categorizing them into three tiers. Tier-1 is awarded to countries that fully meet the standards for the protection of trafficking victims. Since 2018, Bahrain has consistently retained Tier-1 ranking alongside a number of developed countries.
This achievement highlights the Kingdom’s comprehensive approach to strengthening the work environment, protecting rights, and adopting sustainable measures that reflect Bahrain’s deep-rooted values and commitment to human dignity.
The Kingdom has developed a robust legislative and regulatory framework, including Law No. 36 of 2012 in the Labour law for the private sector and Law No. (1) of 2008 on Combating Trafficking in Persons, along with continuous updates to labour market and employment regulations and decisions. Bahrain has also acceded to key international conventions, including the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols, in particular the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons.
At the institutional level, Bahrain established the Expatriate Protection Centre (EPC) in 2015 as the first comprehensive centre of its kind in the Middle East, providing preventive, legal, and shelter services for victims. In 2017, Bahrain launched the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the first in the region, to coordinate national efforts, identify victims at the earliest stages, and ensure their protection and reintegration in line with international standards.
To strengthen protection further, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) established the Preventive Monitoring Directorate as a proactive tool to detect workplace exploitation. Bahrain also implemented the Wages Protection System (WPS) to monitor compliance and reduce wage-related disputes. In addition, an initiative was launched to issue International Bank Account Numbers (IBAN) for every expatriate worker to safeguard rights and expedite the settlement of disputes.
To ensure access to justice, the Kingdom established a specialized Public Prosecution and Court to address trafficking cases. Additional measures include a Fund to support victims and an Office for the Protection of Victims and Witnesses. Furthermore, expatriate employees are provided with administrative assistance to file labour and civil disputes.
The LMRA has intensified awareness efforts and partnerships with the diplomatic missions of labour-sending countries, international organizations and the private sector. Notably, launching the Combatting Trafficking in Persons Forum and the "Working Together" initiative, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to raise awareness of employers and employees about their rights and obligations.
To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, Bahrain established the Regional Centre for Training in Combating Trafficking in Persons. The Centre conducts training courses to identify trafficking in persons in its various forms and enhance the capabilities of frontline workers across government and private sectors.
This achievement reflects the Kingdom of Bahrain’s international standing and its firm commitment to upholding human rights and combating trafficking in persons.
