HRH Princess Sabeeka Chairs Second SCW Meeting

Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), chaired the Council’s second meeting in its ninth term on September 29.

HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim expressed appreciation for His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s congratulations on the SCW’s Silver Jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of its establishment. She also thanked His Majesty for recognising the Council’s achievements in advancing Bahraini women and strengthening their participation in national development.

Her Royal Highness also expressed gratitude for the congratulations extended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and his recognition of the Council’s progress and role in supporting Bahraini women.

HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim affirmed that the continued and tangible support of His Majesty the King and the government led by HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister had enabled the Council to establish its presence at the national, regional and international levels.

She described the Silver Jubilee celebrations, held under the theme “Twenty-Five Years at the Heart of the Reform Project”, as an important national milestone to reflect on the achievements of Bahraini women and prepare for a new phase that builds on these gains and supports Bahrain’s future aspirations.

Her Royal Highness highlighted the significance of the anniversary coinciding with the royal order designating 2026 as the “Year of Isa Al Kabeer”, commemorating the founder of the modern state and leader of institutional development, His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Ruler of Bahrain and its Dependencies.

She stressed that the next phase would place greater responsibility on the SCW to preserve and build on its achievements as it prepares a new national strategy reflecting recent developments and anticipating the future needs and priorities of Bahraini women in line with national directions.

HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim thanked those who had highlighted the Council’s achievements over the past 25 years through press and television interviews, social media, columns, articles and congratulatory messages. She also commended SCW members for their active participation in events and activities marking the anniversary.

During the meeting, Lulwa bint Saleh Al Awadhi, Secretary General of the SCW, presented the General Secretariat’s report on measures taken to follow up on the implementation of the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women (2025–2026).

By mid-September 2026, implementation of the plan had reached 67% across all areas, covering key initiatives and activities undertaken or supported in cooperation with ministries, government institutions, private-sector institutions and civil society organisations.

The Council also reviewed progress on an initiative to support women’s participation on the boards of public shareholding companies. The initiative is being implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Central Bank of Bahrain, Bahrain Bourse, the Labour Fund “Tamkeen”, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance.

Members reviewed the outcomes of meetings with 64 Equal Opportunities Committees in government entities, 27 committees in private-sector institutions, and 27 committees for integrating women’s needs, women’s committees and Equal Opportunities Committees in professional civil society organisations.

The Council approved the study of a proposal to amend the allowance for women with disabilities who do not have a provider, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

The meeting also reviewed preparations for the national strategy for Bahraini women for the period beyond 2026. Work to date has included an analysis of 13 national documents covering policies, plans, strategies, and national and government frameworks, examining their structure, indicators, initiatives and women-related matters.

In parallel, the Council is working with UN Women to analyse the international context and prepare reports on global trends and indicators related to women and their implications for Bahrain.

The General Secretariat also presented a report on the SCW’s Silver Jubilee and Bahraini Women’s Day 2026 celebrations, which coincide with the “Year of Isa Al Kabeer”. The report covered the measures and activities undertaken, alongside publications and documentation materials produced under the media plan for the occasion.