Push to Expand Housing for Divorced and Single Women Heads to Vote

Parliament will vote on Tuesday on a request to raise the number of ‘Masaken’ flats reserved for women classed under category five in Bahrain’s housing rules: divorced, abandoned, widowed and unmarried applicants.

The proposal was submitted by MPs Basema Mubarak, Dr Hisham Al Asheeri, Mamdouh Al Saleh, Ali Saqer Al Dosari and Jaleela Alawi. It refers to Article 4 of Ministerial Decision No. 909 of 2015 on the housing system, which lists the category and the basis for eligibility.

Supporters of the request say many applicants in this group face difficulty securing suitable housing because the number of flats allocated to them is limited. The papers say the problem is sharper where family support is no longer available.

The Public Utilities and Environment Committee has recommended approval, with all members present backing the request on public-interest grounds.

In its response, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning said the aim is already being met through projects delivered with the Supreme Council for Women. It cited the first ‘Masaken’ building in Al Lawzi, which it said contains 68 flats, and said a second project, ‘Masaken 2’, is under construction in Al Hidd Housing City with 49 flats and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The Bahrain Women’s Union supported the request, saying access to suitable housing for divorced, abandoned, widowed and unmarried women helps protect their dignity and supports social and psychological stability for them and their families.

The explanatory note attached to the proposal cites constitutional provisions on protecting the family and the state’s duty to provide housing for low-income citizens. It says the housing decision already grants category five applicants the right to housing, but argues that the limited number of flats reserved for the group remains an obstacle and calls for an increase to meet demand.