Bahrain gets human rights award for GCC services

European Union (EU) here has announced Bahrain as the winner of the 2014 Chaillot Prize for the promotion of human rights in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
“The coveted honor this year went to Bahrain’s National Institution for Human Rights, and the Ombudsman for the Ministry of the Interior for their significant role in the promotion of human rights in the GCC region in 2014,” an EU delegate said on Tuesday.
“The Chaillot Prize has been awarded to these organizations in order to acknowledge and further encourage their remarkable efforts, and to work for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said a spokesperson at the Riyadh office of the EU delegation.
The awarding ceremony took place in Manama on the eve of ‘Human Rights Day,’ which is observed by the international community every year on Dec. 10.
The EU office in Ryadh added that the two laureates’ first annual reports were incredibly comprehensive, and demonstrated a sincere account of the country’s human rights situation.
Their powerful and constructive recommendations regarding ways to overcome proven deficiencies and shortcomings in important areas related to human rights, were also noted at the ceremony.
Special mentions of excellence in the promotion of human rights in the GCC region have also been awarded to the Lothan Youth Achievement Center (Kuwait) and the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children for their efforts in enhancing youth’s awareness about the importance of economic, social and cultural rights.
It also noted their promotion of women’s and children’s rights in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, respectively, the spokesperson added.
The Chaillot Prize is awarded annually by the EU in Riyadh. It is responsible for the management of relations between Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, in cooperation with the EU delegation to the United Arab Emirates and the embassies of the the GCC countries and their EU representatives.
This also coordinate with the civil society organizations and public or private institutions for actions, campaigns and projects which support human rights awareness, promotion and protection in the GCC region.
The prize is named after the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on Dec. 10, 1948, by the UN General Assembly.