NAC ensured women’s privilege, says MP

National Action Charter (NAC) is the historical and cherished document in the history of Bahrain that encouraged women to participate in the parliamentary affairs by providing equality, said Chairperson Child and Woman Committee in Parliament MP Roua Al Hayki here yesterday.

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the NAC, she said it gave the women the right to vote and contest in elections. “It was the result of the NAC that Nada Haffadh became the Health Minister. Thus she became the first woman to head a government ministry in 2004,” Al Hayki said.

“Women took leading ministerial and ambassadorial posts. A Jewish woman, Houda Nonoo, Ambassador to the US, became the Arab world’s first Jewish Ambassador in 2008,” she added.

According to her, the Supreme Council for Women implemented the NAC in a way that provides equality for women in all aspects of life.

The NAC was prepared by 50 national figures and voted by 98.4pc people on February 14-15, 2001. All political parties supported the document and as a result the first Parliamentary elections were held in 30 years in 2002. 

The Charter ensures freedom of expression and democratic rights and the NGOs and labour unions
were licensed to work in the country. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa released all the political prisoners and pardoned all the political exiles and put the country on the path of constitutional monarchy. 

Rule of law and the principle of free economy with an open door policy became the basis of the government.

Commenting that the NAC was one of the biggest milestones in the history of Bahrain, Shura Council Member Fatema Abdul Jabbar Al Kooheji said it put the Kingdom on the path of democracy and strengthened the principle of separation of powers.

She opined that the Charter is based on the constitutional rule and has heightened the state of law and institutions in the country. “It was made by the will of the Bahraini people, who voted on the draft charter.”

In Ms Al Kooheji’s view, the Charter gave the people an opportunity to be an integral part of the decision-making process for the present and the future of their homeland.

“On the auspicious occasion of the 15th anniversary of the charter, everybody needed to renew “our covenant” to stick to the values, principles and constructive engagement as preserved in the Charter,” she remarked.