ILO in the Kingdom of Bahrain
9 February 2017
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العربية
The Kingdom of Bahrain has been a Member State of the International Labour Organisation since 1977. The Kingdom is an Employers Deputy Member on the Governing Body of ILO.
The Kingdom has ratified 10 ILO conventions, namely six fundamental conventions, one governance convention, and three technical conventions:
* Bahrain | Data (worldbank.org)
** Country profiles - ILOSTAT
*** Bahrain Labour Market Regulatory Authority
In the current biennium (2022-23), the ILO continues its support to GFBTU to enhance its institutional capacities to influence socio-economic policies and promote the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) for all workers, including migrant workers, through enhanced social dialogue mechanisms. Among the deliverables pursued are the development and adoption of a trade union position paper on employment policies in Bahrain.
Efforts are focused specifically on strengthening the institutional mechanisms to implement and monitor governance frameworks on labour migration to ensure that legislation is enforced and migrant workers are better protected in line with the relevant International Labour Standards, the Multilateral Framework for Labour Migration, and the ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment and the Definition of Recruitment Fees and Related Costs. ILO’s work is focused on migrant workers in the construction and domestic work sectors, and on the promotion of their fair treatment by employers, through evidence-based policy advice and research, capacity building and training, engagement of social partners, monitoring of impact, and promotion of good practices.
1LMRA 2022 Data: Table_A.pdf (lmra.gov.bh)
ILO has been playing a key role in the revision of the Universal Periodic Review, formulation of the Common Country Assessment, and the development of the Human Rights National Action Plan.
The ILO is represented in the UN Country Team by the Senior Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist Mr. Lejo Sibbel, who can be reached at [email protected].
The Kingdom has ratified 10 ILO conventions, namely six fundamental conventions, one governance convention, and three technical conventions:
Fundamental
- The Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)
- The Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)
- The Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)
- The Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)
- The Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155)
- The Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)
Governance
- The Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81)
Technical
- The Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14)
- The Night Work (Women) Convention (Revised), 1948 (No. 89)
- The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159)
Constituents
The ILO’s constituents in the Bahrain include the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Social Development and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority, representing the Government, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) representing employers, and the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) representing workers. Ms. Sonya Mohamed Janahi is an Employers Deputy Member on the Governing Body of the ILO for 2021-24.Government
- Ministry of Labour
- Ministry of Social Development
- Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA)
Employers
- Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)
Workers
- General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU)
Bahrain in figures
| 89,909 GDP per person employed (constant 2017 PPP $)* | 70 Labour force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+ in 2021)* | 69 Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (% in 2021)* |
| 62.4 Population covered by at least one social protection benefit (% in 2020)** | 0.6 Incidence rate of occupational fatalities (per 100'000 in reference group in 2020)** | 724,762 Total employment in Bahrain*** |
* Bahrain | Data (worldbank.org)
** Country profiles - ILOSTAT
*** Bahrain Labour Market Regulatory Authority
Programme Priorities
Social Dialogue
Over the past decade, ILO supported Bahrain in building strong and representative workers organisations through the provision of socio-economic and legal literacy training in partnership with the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions. With ILO support, GFBTU was able to launch several initiatives to recruit new members, support migrant workers affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and promote social dialogue and tripartism.In the current biennium (2022-23), the ILO continues its support to GFBTU to enhance its institutional capacities to influence socio-economic policies and promote the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) for all workers, including migrant workers, through enhanced social dialogue mechanisms. Among the deliverables pursued are the development and adoption of a trade union position paper on employment policies in Bahrain.
Migrant Workers
It is estimated that migrant workers constitute 81.06 per cent1 of the workforce in the private sector of Bahrain The ILO is engaging with its constituents in the country with the aim of improving the protection of migrant workers from exploitation and ensure their access to decent work, including a fair sharing of the prosperity they help to create.Efforts are focused specifically on strengthening the institutional mechanisms to implement and monitor governance frameworks on labour migration to ensure that legislation is enforced and migrant workers are better protected in line with the relevant International Labour Standards, the Multilateral Framework for Labour Migration, and the ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment and the Definition of Recruitment Fees and Related Costs. ILO’s work is focused on migrant workers in the construction and domestic work sectors, and on the promotion of their fair treatment by employers, through evidence-based policy advice and research, capacity building and training, engagement of social partners, monitoring of impact, and promotion of good practices.
1LMRA 2022 Data: Table_A.pdf (lmra.gov.bh)
Engagement in The Country
The initiatives pursued by ILO in the Kingdom include the following:- Undertake a comprehensive update of the rapid labour inspection assessment conducted by the ILO in 2018
- Development of a national Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) profile
- Administration of a study to assess the strengths and possible improvements to the existing labour dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms in the then-Ministry of Labour and Social Development and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority
- Jointly with other UN agencies, revise the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking
International Labour Standards
The ILO continues to engage with the Kingdom in the promotion, ratification, and application of International Labour Standards, in particularly in areas related to the strengthening of labour inspection and of trafficking in persons and forced labour. Work also continues to ensure the inclusion of labour rights in UN frameworks, plans, assessments, and reports, to ensure that labour rights are included in all human rights-related initiatives and endeavours.Sustainable Development Goals
The ILO’s development cooperation work in Bahrain contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal No. 8 on promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, Goal No. 10 on reducing inequality within and among countries, and Goal No. 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.Knowledge Products
The ILO produced several knowledge resources relating to the Kingdom of Bahrain, including the following:- Guidance Note on the Preparation of National OSH Programmes and Profiles
- Extending Social Protection to Migrant Workers: Exploratory Research and Policy Dialogue in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
Representation
The ILO is a non-resident United Nations agency in Bahrain but is an active member in the United Nations Country Team, working on implementing the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2021-22. ILO is a member of the Results Group No. 2 on Quality and Comprehensive Social Services and also of Results Group No. 3 on Economic Diversification, Public Administration, and Resilience.ILO has been playing a key role in the revision of the Universal Periodic Review, formulation of the Common Country Assessment, and the development of the Human Rights National Action Plan.
The ILO is represented in the UN Country Team by the Senior Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist Mr. Lejo Sibbel, who can be reached at [email protected].
ILO Data on Bahrain
- NORMLEX – Information System on International Labour Standards
- NATLEX – Database of National Labour, Social Security, and related Human Rights Legislation
- LEGOSH – Global Database on Occupational Safety and Health Legislation
- Forced Labour Observatory – A platform that aims at providing policymakers, researchers, governments, social partners, civil society, business community, donors, and international organisations with accurate and up-to-date data/statistics and information on forced labour.