CARAM ASIA & Bahrain Center for Human rights
February- 2010

The shocking cases of suicides committed by migrant workers in Bahrain reported since the beginning of 2010 are the continuation of a trend that should have been addressed years ago. The BCHR and CARAM[1] Asia condemns the failure of authorities and Bahraini civil society to improve the working and living conditions of migrant workers, which in previous cases has been shown to lead to acts of desperation such as suicide.

Human Rights for Domestic Workers
Date: 14/12/2009 - 15:59
Women Migrant Workers
CARAM Asia a regional network of 34 NGOs and trade unions across 17 countries in Asia makes the call to governments across the globe to respect the rights and dignity of migrant workers especially domestic workers.

Human Rights for Migrant Domestic Workers

Wednesday, 9 December 2009, 8:23 pm | 187 views

CARAM Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 Dec 2009: As the world marks International Human Rights Day today, CARAM Asia launches an online petition campaign seeking crucial support and commitment from every employer of households to grant a weekly paid day off to their migrant domestic worker (MDW). From today onwards, the online campaign will be featured for 30 days on the major media online sites based in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Middle East:

1. http://www.malaysiakini.com/

.Bahrain: King Should Halt Execution
Nation Has Resumed Using Death Penalty After Decades Without It
December 9, 2009
Other Material: Bahrain: Migrant Workers Denied Pay, Right to Travel
Bahrain: Labor Reforms a Major Advance ."In law and practice, a growing majority of countries have rejected capital punishment, even for the most serious offenses...For a long time, Bahrain appeared to be part of this consensus, but this sentence, following the executions in 2006, calls that into question."

By Andrew England
Published: November 9 2009 17:47 | Last updated: November 9 2009 17:47

Next month, as Bahrain marks the 10th anniversary of rule under King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, the feelings of Bahrainis will be decidedly mixed.

Bahrain: Migrant Workers Denied Pay, Right to Travel
Government Should Protect Workers from Employer Abuse
November 4, 2009
Other Material: More Human Rights Watch reporting on Bahrain
Withholding wages and confiscating passports appears to be rampant, but the authorities do nothing to stop it. There is no system to make sure these vulnerable migrant workers can actually recover both their passports and wages, let alone to punish the abusive employers.

Trafficking battle call
By BEGENA P PRADEEP

BAHRAIN must step up the battle against human trafficking, according to a new US State Department report.

The country remains on a special watchlist of nations being monitored for what action they are taking to combat the problem, despite issuing new guidelines on the employment conditions of migrant workers.

Bahrain was one of 170 nations included in the ninth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP), which said it did little to improve its services to protect victims of trafficking.

Bahrain Backtracks on Workers’ Rights Reform
Written by Rachelle Kliger
Published Monday, June 15, 2009
Bahrain has decided not to revoke a system that has been criticized for violating the rights of foreign workers.

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) said it would not be canceling the sponsorship system, which stipulates that foreign workers in the Gulf country must be sponsored by an employee in order to obtain a work visa and cannot switch jobs freely.

The Bahraini Authorities Recruit of Mercenaries from Makran Town, Pakistan: The Bahrain Government's use of foreign mercenaries to oppress Bahraini people with legitimate demands and grievances leads to a growing hostility towards foreigners
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights

6/6/2009

13/5/2009
(Beirut) - Bahrain's revision of its restrictive kafala (sponsorship) system will dramatically improve the status of most migrant workers and reduce their risk of exploitation, Human Rights Watch said today. But the protections should be extended to migrant domestic workers, who are especially vulnerable to employer abuse, Human Rights Watch said.