4th Dec, 2012 –
Background on Bahraini Women
· In 1928, Bahrain became the first Gulf State to have education for women, laying the foundations for equal rights and opportunities for all women of the nation.
· In 1969, the Awal Women’s Society was established and is considered the first women’s NGO with an elected board in the country. The society played a vital role in empowering Bahraini women through its projects and programme and is living proof of the active role played by Bahraini women for decades in the field of social development, education, family stability and politics.
· In 2008, the King of Bahrain announced that the 1st of December would be named the Bahraini Women’s day as a token of appreciation towards the active and equal role of women in developing the nation.
Supreme Council for women
The Supreme Council for Women, established by a Royal order on August 22nd 2001, is considered the official independent body concerned with women affairs in the Kingdom with the vision’ Women as equal partners in building the state’. It works closely with government bodies and NGOs such as the Bahraini Women’s Union. The Supreme Council for Women aims at empowering Bahraini women on all levels, hence it launched the National Strategy for the Advancement of Bahraini Women, which is considered the first strategy of its kind in the region to be endorsed by a head of state; The King’.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King of Bahrain chairs the council which includes 16 members, representing public female figures from different walks of life. Their membership term is 3 years and can be renewed. The Council works on a number of national plans that aim at enhancing the status of Bahraini women such as the following:
Mainstreaming women’s needs in the country’s development plan
Comprehensive and sustainable development of Bahraini society cannot be achieved without fair partnership between women and men, where women participate in development plans and programs as well benefit from its outcomes. Therefore, mainstreaming women’s needs in development is a process that would require allocating resources and formulating plans, programs and mechanisms, as well as implementing measures that would ensure that women’s needs are taken into consideration in all fields. This is in addition to enhancing the principle of equal opportunities for both women and men, hence enabling women to play a vital role as capable partners in social and political development.
Mainstreaming women’s needs in the development plan requires national collective efforts, the support of all authorities and the cooperation of ministries and establishments in order to mainstream the needs of women in the budgets, development plans and policies in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Equal Opportunities
Being the official women affairs body in the country, the Supreme Council for Women has started working with both the public and private sector organizations on establishing equal opportunities units.
The Equal Opportunities Unit refers to ensuring equality and indiscrimination in offering opportunities in all areas, such as family, education, work, securing senior positions, while taking into consideration the needs, competence and abilities.
Gender Sensitive Budgeting
Gender sensitive budgeting which adopts the principle of equal opportunities for both women and men is not about allocating a separate budget for women. It is a budget that is planned for, implemented, followed up and evaluated in an unbiased way and in response to the needs of both women and men.
The main objectives of Gender Sensitive Budgeting
- Changing the policies of setting up the budgets to ensure that the principle of equal opportunities for men and women is taken into consideration.
– Reflecting the government’s commitment towards mainstreaming the needs of women in development in budget commitments.
– Raising awareness amongst decision-makers regarding the issue of mainstreaming women’s needs in the development plan and its impact on the budget.
- Analyzing various effects of the financial policy of the country and its impact on both women and men.
– Suggesting proposals for the revision of priorities in order to enhance the principle of equal opportunities.
Political Participation
Following the reform process initiated by the King of Bahrain in 2001 resulting in constitutional ammendments and the formation of a parliament, Bahraini women were granted equal rights to political participation i.e. to vote and run as candidates for both the Municipal and Parliamentary elections held in 2002. Today, Bahraini women hold major decision-making positions in the government, legislative ad judicial authorities. In 2004, Dr. Nada Hafadh was appointed as Minister of Health, the country’s first female Cabinet Minister.
Current Status of Bahraini women
Three Cabinet Ministers
· Minister of Culture
· Minister of Social Development
· Minister of State for Information Affairs
The representation of women in both houses of Parliament (Shura and Representative Council) has reached 19 %.
· Eleven members of the Shura Council ‘Upper House of Parliament appointed by the King’
· Four members of the Representative Council ‘ Lower House of Parliament elected by the people’
· One elected Municipal council member
Bahraini women on the International level
Due to their proven competence Bahraini women represent the Kingdom in the international arena as diplomats and active participants of international conventions.
When Bahrain was elected to head the United Nations General Assembly in 2006 it appointed lawyer and women’s rights activist Haya Rashid Al Khalifa as President of the United Nations General Assembly. Haya Al Khalifa is the third woman in history to head the world body.
The Kingdom currently has three women Ambassadors.
· Ambassador to the United States of America
· Ambassador to the United Kingdom
· Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China