Efforts continue to ensure equal opportunity for women: Al Ansari

Manama : Efforts continue to empower Bahraini women in the public sector and ensure Opportunities Equity Effect in the National Model for Advancement of Women as per the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

This came during a statement made by Supreme Council for Women (SCW) General Secretary Hala Al Ansari to a local Arabic daily during the International Forum on Women’s Health and Safety held here last week. 

The event was held under the patronage of HM the King’s Wife and SCW President HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa. 

When asked about the work plan of the committee, Al Ansari affirmed that the Opportunities Equity Committee in the council aims at “ensuring the sustainability of the policies and plans set by the state and evaluating its outputs in a manner that elevates the specific contributions of Bahraini women to the national economy”.

“This is a sign of starting a new phase based on the capacity of Bahraini women and their participation in the development drive,” she said adding that the national committee, formed in 2011, was able to “accomplish 77 percent of its requirements.”

“The most recent achievements were the establishment of the National Observatory of Gender Balance Indicators to serve as the official reference of the state bodies, statistical fields and qualitative indicators. The observatory contains about 4,000 indicators to measure the progress of women” Al Ansari explained.

The second recommendation, Al Ansari pointed out, was the issuance of a national report on the measurement and analysis of gender balance indicators at the national level which was recorded at 68pc according to 2016 data. “This is in comparison with international reports which shows 63pc, 77pc in the UK and 67pc in China.”