A/HRC/8/52 page 105 participation of all societies in Bahrain, including through the hotline, the web page set up for this purpose, meetings and through the press. All comments, direct and indirect, were taken into account in the Action Plan. The draft action plan was also presented in the presence of ambassadors and other delegates. The Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that upon returning to Bahrain after the review of Bahrain during the Working Group, he had engaged in several debates on the outcome of the universal periodic review, through direct televised debates with the chairman of the Bahrain Human Rights Society. He indicated that all participants commented on the transparency of the process, following which the action plan was compiled, and a representative from OHCHR was invited to attend the launching of the action plan, along with non-governmental organizations. Bahrain added that it asked non-governmental organizations and human rights societies to participate in the implementation of the action plan. In response to Slovenia’s question, Bahrain answered that paragraph 9 on page 6 of the Action Plan addresses enhanced protection for the rights of domestic workers, especially women. 210. The Minister stated that on the same day as the present discussion, Bahrain was launching a national conference on understanding the concept of “gender”, under the patronage of H.M. King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain, reflecting the importance attached by the Government to this issue. The Minister added that it had made an important amendment on 4 May 2008 to its press law by abolishing the punishment of imprisonment of journalists and abolishing censorship on publications. Bahrain then drew attention to the invitation extended to and the presence of a representative of OHCHR to observe at the first workshop, held on 29 May 2008 conducted by the UPR working team of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on applying a human rights based approach. Bahrain informed the Council that this workshop is the first step the UPR working team has taken in its plan to conduct further workshops with the assistance of the UNDP in Bahrain and experts from OHCHR. Bahrain further underlined the establishment of a national committee to combat human trafficking, which embodies members from the governmental sector, human rights societies and relevant non-governmental organizations, such as the migrant workers’ protection society. 211. Finally, Bahrain stated that it is working on implementing a “project document” with the assistance of UNDP and in consultations with members of civil society. A representative of OHCHR observed the discussions between the Government and civil society regarding the drafting of this project. This project proposal seeks to address the need for supporting Bahrain’s Action Plan and provides a vehicle for its further development, based on needs and experiences implementation emerging over the present four-year universal periodic review cycle. The project proposal seeks to address: • The need to strengthen Bahrain’s human rights database and information systems • The need for more effective implementation of Bahrain’s obligations under international human rights treaties • The need to strengthen Bahrain’s institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights • The need to strengthen Bahrain’s institutions dealing with ratification of international human rights instruments and with the incorporation into national legislation of human rights treaties that Bahrain has ratified