Bahraini women’s strides stressed

New York

The Minister of Social Development, Faiqa bint Saeed Al Saleh, confirmed the keenness of Kingdom to support the achievements and status of women in all aspects. The Minister was delivering a speech on combating inequalities and the empowerment of women and girls in New York as part of the UN summit adopting the developmental plan post-2015.

She pointed out the Kingdom’s initiatives to support women’s role in the comprehensive development in the Kingdom under the reform project of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa that came in line with all the developmental dimensions adopted by the UN. 

The Minister said that the Kingdom was able to achieve many accomplishments in the field of gender equality as Bahraini women participate on an equal footing with men in all levels of decision-making in the political, economic and public life. They enjoy a respectable status in society, with their high efficiency that qualifies them to carry out their leading role in various work fields, she added.

The Minister reviewed the pillars of the Kingdom’s support to women, including Bahrain’s Constitution, which stipulates in its first article that “citizens, men and women, have the right to participate in public affairs and to enjoy political rights, including the right to vote and to be elected.” 

She also mentioned the establishment of the Supreme Council for Women headed by Wife of His Majesty the King, Supreme Council for Woman Chairwoman, HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa. 

This is in addition to the tireless efforts to promote equality, including the issuance of a number of laws to eliminate all forms of violence against women, as well as elimination of child marriage and early marriage, she added.