Bahrain is to set up a committee to combat sectarian hatred.

The move was announced yesterday as His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, attended.

The new panel will propose and adopt policies and draw up programmes to confront the discourse of hate being promoted via religious platforms or books.

The National Anti-Hate and Sectarianism Committee will focus on promoting tolerance, reconciliation and co-existence, in addition to cementing national unity.

The yet to be established committee will also clamp down on hate and sectarian rhetoric in the media, telecommunications and education sectors.

It will also scrutinise political and community forces to ensure they are not engaged in the detrimental hate and sectarian mantra.

In another development, the Cabinet announced that Bahraini wives married to foreign husbands could soon be granted passports for their children - pending certain terms and criteria. Ministers approved the measure.

The session referred amendments of the law on Bahraini nationals, dating back to 1963, to the legislative authority for more scrutiny.

The draft law is in line with the outcome of the National Dialogue and recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council.

Its proposed amendments are also in compliance with the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and policies of the Supreme Council for Women.

Finally, the Cabinet extended greetings to His Majesty King Hamad, Bahrain's people and the Islamic world, marking the anniversary of the Prophet's birthday. - TradeArabia News Service