MPs Mark 25 Years of Women’s Council

Parliament vows to keep strengthening laws that protect women’s rights and widen their role in public life

TDT | Manama

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The Supreme Council for Women has changed the place of women in public life over a quarter of a century, Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam said as MPs marked the council’s silver jubilee and pledged to keep pressing for laws that protect women’s rights and widen their role in work, politics and business.

Mr Al Musallam said the council had become a key part of Bahrain’s drive to give women a full role in the country’s growth under the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

He said the King’s decision to create the council sprang from the belief that a country cannot move forward while women are left on the sidelines, and that investing in women meant investing in families and future generations.

This year’s Bahraini Women’s Day carries the slogan ‘Twenty-five years at the heart of the reform project’ and coincides with the Year of Isa Al Kabeer.

Mr Al Musallam also credited His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, with turning the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women into government policies and programmes.

Women had since taken a greater place in decision-making, the labour market and political, social and economic life, he said.

He praised Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women, for leading the council over the past 25 years and building it into a body recognised across the region and abroad.

Mr Al Musallam said the council had worked closely with Parliament on laws concerning women, reviews of legislation on equal opportunity and measures aimed at protecting Bahraini families.

MPs would continue to work on laws that support family stability, protect working women and encourage women to enter business and take on senior roles, he added.

He also praised Bahraini women for their part in preserving national identity, tolerance and coexistence and for their role in raising younger generations.

MP Maryam Al Sayegh said the gains made by Bahraini women stemmed from royal and government support that had placed women within Bahrain’s reform and development plans.

Women, she said, were now present across Parliament, government and the courts, as well as business, education, health, the media, diplomacy and humanitarian work.

Ms Al Sayegh said the council’s 25 years of work, its national strategy and its schemes had brought real changes to the lives of women and families.

She said it had grown into a national centre of expertise and pledged continued parliamentary work on laws to protect women’s gains and widen their political, economic and social role.

MP Waleed Al Dosari said the silver jubilee showed how far Bahraini women had come and linked their growing role to Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

He praised Princess Sabeeka for building an organised system for women’s advancement and said Bahraini women had proved their worth across the public, private and community sectors.

Mr Al Dosari said the council’s plans and programmes had had a direct effect on Bahraini families and had made it a key partner in the reform programme.

Parliament, he said, would keep working on laws that give women greater scope in political, economic and social life, with the country’s progress closely tied to theirs.