Law to protect children on Bahrain's Shura agenda

A draft law to prohibit political exploitation of children will be on the agenda of the Shura Council which convenes today for its weekly session.

The proposed amended law bans any exploitation of children in politically-motivated gatherings, marches or demonstrations.

The draft bill prohibits engaging or employing children in electoral campaigns at any phase of parliamentary or municipal polls without the consent of their guardian or legal representative.

The Women and Children Affairs Committee submitted a report on amending article 60 of the Child Law.

It said that the Constitution guarantees legal protection of children against all forms of exploitation, stressing commitment to the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

The committee warned that the introduction of the “consent of the guardian or his legal representative” contradicts the absolute prohibition of any form of child exploitation in gatherings, demonstrations and marches, which are intended for political purposes.

The government has already prepared a draft law on restorative justice for children and their protection from abuse.

A law proposal defining the concept of “final beneficiary” of the Commercial Register will also be on the council agenda.

It is backed by Shura Council member Jawad Habib Al Khayyat, Dr Abdulaziz Hassan Abul, Yasser Ibrahim Humaidan, Dr Mohammed Ali Hassan and Jameela Ali Hassan.

The proposal aims to add the definition of the term of the final beneficiary to the Commercial Registry Law.

The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee endorsed the proposal and referred it to the plenary session for approval.

Under the new definition, the final beneficiary is “every natural person who owns the commercial establishment – individual or company – a legal ownership, or controls the commercial firm through other means and tools other than legal ownership, or the hidden natural person whose transactions are processed on his behalf”.

The council will also discuss two draft laws on regulating retirement pensions and benefits for government employees, BDF and Public Security officers and personnel. A draft legislation amending provisions of the law on social insurance will also be on the agenda. The amendments aim to define the legal entitlement of the husband to his deceased wife’s pension.

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