The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo will host on 23 April the commencement of the 61st session of the Arab Charter on Human Rights Committee. The session will encompass discussions on both the second periodic report of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the initial report of the Arab Republic of Egypt. These discussions are part of the ongoing monitoring of Arab countries' adherence to their obligations under the Arab Charter on Human Rights and assessing their commitment to implementing its provisions.
The session, chaired by Counsellor Jaber Saleh Al Marri, Chairman of the Committee, will be attended by the seven committee members. The opening session, slated for the morning of 23 April will feature the participation of representatives from mechanisms within the joint Arab action system for human rights, as well as partner human rights mechanisms. Notably, these include the Independent Permanent Commission for Human Rights (OIC), the Human Rights Office of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions.
During its 61st session, the Arab Charter on Human Rights Committee will delve into the second periodic report of the Kingdom of Bahrain from 23 to 24 April, and the initial report of the Arab Republic of Egypt from 28 to 29 April.
These sessions serve as crucial platforms to showcase efforts, exchange experiences, and hear diverse perspectives from government representatives, as well as representatives from national human rights institutions and civil society organisations. This exchange occurs through the presentation of shadow reports in closed hearings.
It's worth noting that the Kingdom of Bahrain, which became a member of the Arab Charter on Human Rights on 18 June 2006, previously discussed its initial report in 2013 and its first periodic report in 2019.
Following discussions on both the second periodic report of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the initial report of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Arab Charter on Human Rights Committee will provide its observations and make recommendations aligned with the Charter's objectives and stipulations.
