A new pan-Gulf human rights organisation has been formed by founding members including two Bahraini campaign groups.

The Gulf Association for Rights and Freedom (GARF) is a Bahraini initiative that includes the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS) and Al Karama Society, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Other founding members are the Kuwait Observatory for Human Rights and Universal Message for Human Rights, also from Kuwait, and Monitor of Human Rights in Oman.

GARF is headed by BHRWS secretary general Faisal Fulad and a central committee, consisting of one representative of each member group, will hold its first general conference in Kuwait within a month.

Fulad said the door was open for other GCC human rights groups to sign up to the coalition, which is overseen by the London-based Gulf European Centre for Human Rights.

"We are in the final phase of launching the association and an invite has been sent to prominent organisations in other GCC nations to join the coalition," said Fulad, who has been appointed secretary general of GARF.

"We will soon finalise member societies and, within a month, host a general conference in Kuwait which will be open to all human rights associations in the GCC.

"The main goal of GARF is to protect human rights for citizens and foreigners in the GCC and we have initiated this venture, a GCC coalition, to address and tackle rights issues collectively.

"Human rights and violations are not limited to one country and its people - it is a global concern.

"As a region we may have similar concerns related to human rights, for both nationals and foreigners.

"The association will also serve as a common platform to represent human rights organisations in the GCC and share experiences and expertise from one another."

Fulad said networking among regional non-governmental organisations (NGOs) focused on human rights was necessary, especially to spread awareness of major treaties.

"It is very important to co-ordinate and network among NGOs within the GCC," he said.

"One of the main objectives of GARF will be to popularise the Declaration on Human Rights of the Co-operation Council of the Arab Gulf, which was announced in Doha last month, among societies in the region so that people are aware of it and get benefits.

"It is surprising that this declaration, which has 47 articles and is considered the first human rights document for the Gulf, hasn't been discussed in the media before its announcement.

"It is important to implement this declaration and develop more respect for human rights in the Gulf, especially after recent political developments in the region.

"Improvement can't be achieved unless human rights organisations start applying the principles of this declaration in the local system in each country.

"GARF will also monitor the application of the declaration. We will ensure the involvement of non-governmental legal experts, which could certainly build on this announcement."

The 47-article declaration was issued in Qatar on December 9 at the end of the 35th GCC summit and highlights issues such as religious freedom, right to citizenship, prevention of torture and fair justice systems.

It states all people have equal rights and commit to religious tolerance and freedom of opinion and expression. - TradeArabia News Service