The Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, Head of the Committee of Maan programme against violence and addiction, participated in the 57th United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Ambassador Abdullah Abdul Latif Abdullah, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations in Geneva, and several representatives of relevant parties attended.
During the event, Shaikh Hisham delivered a speech highlighting Bahrain's many achievements under the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He valued the support and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for reform projects to develop them and meet the latest changes.
He explored Bahrain's proactive steps to fight reasons that affect children and youth, hailing the dedication of His Excellency Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa to joint efforts to reinforce human rights values and the adoption of pioneering security initiatives and projects to prevent negative behaviours and limit crime rates.
He said that Bahrain promotes tolerance and understanding. In this context, the Interior Minister launched the Maan programme in 2011 as part of the National Plan to Promote the Spirit of Belonging to the Nation and Reinforce the Values of Nationalism as an education programme implemented by the community police to enhance youth awareness about violence and addiction.
He stressed that the programme is an investment in the future of Bahrain, which requires effort and partnership between teachers, law enforcement officials, families and society as a whole to overcome violence and addiction, as raising a child requires everyone’s participation.
He said: “We have witnessed a significant 56% decrease in negative behaviours among students participating in the programme, and this success is the result of careful planning and dedicated implementation.” He noted the focus on 11 key negative behaviours, adding, “Our mission is to empower our students with basic decision-making skills and strategies, and give them the confidence to deal with difficult situations.”
