On December 18th each year, International Migrants Day is observed as a significant occasion to emphasize the protection and respect for the rights of migrants around the world. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) is deeply concerned about the challenges faced by migrants, including domestic workers, who experience ongoing violations of their basic rights. This day serves as a call for all nations, including Bahrain, to uphold the rights of migrants and domestic workers in line with international human rights standards.
BCHR repeats its commitment to advocating for the rights of migrants and domestic workers in Bahrain and globally, and calls for an immediate end to the exploitation, discrimination, and lack of protection they face in many regions. This statement highlights key issues that need to be addressed in order to ensure the full dignity and protection of migrants and domestic workers, particularly regarding their religious freedom, housing conditions, working hours, and the freedom to move without restriction.
Rights of Migrants and Domestic Workers: Compliance with International Law
All migrants, including domestic workers, must be granted the full spectrum of human rights as enshrined in international conventions. Bahrain, as a state party to numerous international human rights agreements such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), has a responsibility to ensure that the rights of migrants and domestic workers are respected and protected in accordance with international law.
Religious Freedom of Migrants and Domestic Workers
A fundamental right for all individuals, including migrants and domestic workers, is the right to religious freedom. BCHR stresses that migrants and domestic workers should have the liberty to practice their religion and beliefs freely, without discrimination or hindrance. Bahrain must ensure that migrants and domestic workers are allowed to practice their faith in safety and with dignity, and that spaces for worship are accessible to them.
Appropriate Housing Conditions and International Standards for Working Hours
BCHR calls on the government of Bahrain to improve housing conditions for migrants and domestic workers, ensuring that they meet international human rights standards. The overcrowded and unsafe living conditions many migrants face in Bahrain must end. Everyone, regardless of their legal or employment status, has the right to safe and adequate housing. These individuals should not be subjected to dangerous or inhumane living arrangements that endanger their physical and mental well-being.
Additionally, migrant workers, including domestic workers, must be guaranteed fair working hours in line with international standards. Bahrain’s labor laws should be amended to prevent the misuse of migrant workers by ensuring they are not forced to work excessively long hours, without proper rest and compensation. All workers must be provided with legal safeguards to protect them from overwork and forced labor.
Ending Passport Control and the Right to Freedom of Movement
BCHR also emphasizes that the practice of holding passports or travel documents of migrant workers by employers or authorities is a clear violation of basic human rights. Migrants should not be subjected to restrictions on their freedom of movement. The government must ensure that migrant workers have access to their personal identification documents and that their freedom to leave or travel is not hindered by any authorities or employers.
Crowded Migrant Accommodations Must End
BCHR strongly advocates for an immediate end to the practice of crowded and unsanitary migrant accommodations. These overcrowded living situations present serious health risks and undermine the dignity and well-being of migrant workers. Migrants must be provided with adequate and comfortable living spaces that comply with basic standards of safety, privacy, and hygiene.
Recommendations
In light of the concerns raised, BCHR calls for the following immediate actions:
- Improvement of Housing Conditions: The government must ensure that accommodations provided to migrants, including domestic workers, meet international human rights standards. Overcrowded and unsafe living conditions must be eradicated, and every migrant must have access to decent housing that guarantees privacy, safety, and dignity.
- Release of Passports and Freedom of Movement: Bahrain must immediately end the practice of confiscating passports from migrant workers by employers or authorities. Migrants should have unrestricted access to their personal identification documents and the right to travel and move freely without fear of retribution or discrimination.
- Fair Working Hours: The government of Bahrain must revise labor laws to ensure that migrant workers, including domestic workers, are not subjected to excessively long working hours. Working hours should be in line with international standards, and migrant workers must be entitled to adequate rest and compensation.
- Legal Protection for Domestic Workers: Bahrain should establish and enforce laws that protect the rights of domestic workers from abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. These workers must be given access to fair wages, adequate working hours, and proper working conditions.
- Religious Freedom: Bahrain must guarantee that migrants and domestic workers are free to practice their religion without fear of discrimination or repression. Places of worship should be made available to all communities, and workers should be free to observe religious practices as part of their basic rights.
- International Oversight and Monitoring: BCHR calls on the international community to continue monitoring and providing oversight regarding the treatment of migrant workers in Bahrain. Independent investigations should be conducted into reports of abuse, and the government should be held accountable for violations of migrant workers’ rights.
- End the Use of Exploitative Recruitment Practices: Bahrain should adopt transparent and ethical recruitment practices to prevent the exploitation of migrant workers through recruitment fees and other predatory practices. Recruitment should be conducted in accordance with international labor standards, ensuring that workers are not subjected to financial burdens or deceitful contracts.
- Strengthen Enforcement of Workers’ Rights: Bahrain must improve the enforcement of labor laws to protect migrant workers from exploitation. This includes strengthening labor inspections, ensuring timely and appropriate responses to workers’ complaints, and guaranteeing access to justice for those whose rights have been violated.
On this International Migrants Day, BCHR reaffirms its commitment to defending the rights and dignity of migrants and domestic workers in Bahrain. The government must take immediate action to address these concerns and ensure that migrants and domestic workers are afforded their full rights in accordance with international law. BCHR calls on the international community, civil society, and governments to work together to eliminate exploitation, discrimination, and abuse, and to promote a just and equitable society for all workers, regardless of their origin or status.
Quote from Nedal AlSalman, Director of BCHR and Vice President of FIDH:
“The dignity and rights of migrants and domestic workers are fundamental to building a just society. If we fail to uphold their rights, we undermine not only their future but the future of our society as a whole. Every individual deserves to live and work in safety, with dignity, and in freedom.”
BCHR calls on the Bahraini government to act swiftly to implement these recommendations, ensuring that all workers, regardless of their status, are treated with respect, fairness, and dignity.