High status of Northern Ireland human rights body 'being put at risk
January 11, 2021, 12:22 pm

High status of Northern Ireland human rights body 'being put at risk

In its complaint to the Northern Ireland Office, the Equality Coalition said of six recent appointments to the NIHRC, three had formerly served in the police with either the RUC or PSNI.

Equality Coalition makes formal complaint about make-up of ministerial appointments to NIHRC

A network of more than 90 NGOs and trade unions has complained that ministerial appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) are undermining the public body.

The group raised particular concerns about the selection of candidates with a policing background at a time when the commission is required to advise on addressing the legacy of the Troubles.

The NIHRC, established on the basis of the Good Friday agreement, is a UN “A” status national human rights commission but the Equality Coalition says it could lose that status as a result of the appointments.

In a formal complaint to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), seen by the Guardian, the coalition points out that of six recent appointments, five have a predominately public sector background, including three who formerly served with either the Royal Ulster Constabulary or Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Daniel Holder, the deputy director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, a Belfast-based NGO, and a co-convener of the Equality Coalition, said it was not questioning the integrity of the individual appointees. “Rather, this concerns the composition of the appointments as a whole not meeting the diversity requirements of the UN Paris principles (which specify the criteria to be an accredited national human rights institution),” he said.

“The appointments are very state-centric, with half being from a NI policing background, at precisely a time the NIHRC is to advise on planned legacy legislation that among other matters will or will not deal with investigating the past actions of the police.”

The Paris principles state that the appointment of members should be by way of a procedure “which affords all necessary guarantees to ensure the pluralist representation of the social forces (of civilian society) involved in the protection and promotion of human rights”.

They say representatives should be from NGOs responsible for human rights and tackling racial discrimination, trades unions and “concerned social and professional organisations” such as associations of lawyers, doctors, journalists and eminent scientists.

The NIO has confirmed there were 129 applicants (52% male and 48% female) “from across civil society” for the six new commissioner roles. Of 36 shortlisted for interview, 56% were male and 44% female, and of 15 (unranked) candidates recommended to the Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, for appointment, 60% were male and 40% were female. Two out of six commissioners appointed were female.

In its complaint to the NIO, the coalition says, in reference to the alleged breach of diversity requirements: “It appears most likely this has happened at the stage of the making appointments from the list of recommended candidates.”

Patricia McKeown, the NI regional secretary for Unison and a co-convener of the Equality Coalition, said: “A fully functioning NIHRC is a cornerstone safeguard of the peace settlement. We have long had concerns the UK government has failed to implement provisions of the Good Friday agreement including those affirming the rights of women to full and equal participation in peace-building.

“It is alarming that the secretary of state could have now jeopardised the status of the NIHRC as a UN-accredited human rights institution with appointments that manifestly do not meet the pluralism requirements of UN rules.”

A UK government spokesperson said: “Appointments to the NIHRC are regulated by the office of the commissioner for public appointments and made in accordance with the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The government is committed to supporting the work of the NIHRC and looks forward to continuing to engage with all of the commissioners.”

source: Haroon Siddique

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.