Nibras Mohamed Talib, Chief Executive of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, announced the launch of the Best Practices in Combating Trafficking in Persons in the Private Sector Award, to honour exemplary models that safeguard the rights of labour relationship parties and promote fair and safe work environments.

The announcement was made during the opening of the second edition of the Forum on Combating Trafficking in Persons 2025, held under the theme "The role of the private sector in combating trafficking in persons".

The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and other officials.

Talib highlighted Bahrain’s commitment, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to intensifying efforts to combat trafficking in persons in line with international best practices.

He noted that Bahrain had developed a comprehensive national framework based on prevention, protection, justice, partnership, and institutionalisation, integrated into national policies and plans to ensure sustainability.

Talib commended the efforts of the national team led by the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Public Prosecution, and the Supreme Judicial Council, in cooperation with public and private sector entities and civil society organisations represented in the committee. He said these collaborative efforts had established a leading national model.

The LMRA Chief Executive underlined the private sector’s key role in the Kingdom’s success, citing a compliance rate of nearly 99% in the first half of the year, based on inspection campaigns carried out in coordination with government partners.

He noted the introduction of IBAN-linked salary payments for all migrant workers, implemented in cooperation with the private sector to enhance wage transparency and protection while reducing legal disputes.

He also highlighted the "Working Together" (Ma’an Na’mal) awareness campaign launched in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), along with orientation programmes for domestic workers upon arrival in Bahrain and for their employers. He said the programme is the first of its kind in the region, developed in collaboration with the IOM and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), to raise awareness of rights, responsibilities, and available protection services.

Talib underscored the Kingdom’s focus on building national capacity, noting that the Regional Center of Excellence and Capacity Building for Combatting Trafficking in Persons had accredited 87 trainers across six government and non-government sectors since its establishment in 2021.

The forum included two panel discussions: "The Societal Approach to Combating Trafficking in Persons" and "The Impact of Awareness and Training in Strengthening National Partnerships to Combat Trafficking in Persons".

Participants emphasised the importance of strengthening national and international partnerships, enhancing preventive initiatives, and reinforcing the private sector’s role as an active and influential partner in supporting Bahrain’s position as a regional and international model in this domain.