Ensuring zero pay gap

TDT | Manama

SCW Secretary-General, Hala Al-Ansari, yesterday welcomed a governmental move ensuring zero wage gap between men and women working in similar job positions. The move, Al Ansari said, would contribute to ensuring advanced levels of Bahraini women’s participation in the national development drive.

Based on recommendations by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, the Labour and Social Development Ministry recently issued three edicts bridging the gender wage gap as well as other disparities existing in the industry.

The edicts ban wage discrimination between male and female workers with the same job and similar work conditions, allows women to work in all industries without restrictions, and in professions that require night shifts. The edicts are consistent with the Law 36/2012 promulgating the Labour Law in the Private Sector.

Separately, the Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) announced it would count all leaves, including the paid leave or unpaid leave, for a working woman in case of childbirth, or for taking care a child. A Government Executive Committee meeting held last Thursday also approved a circular by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) prohibiting any discrimination based on gender, nationality, origin, language, creed, religion, physical disability, or social status in delivering banking and financial services.

Al Ansari thanked His Royal Highness Prince Salman for taking steps to integrate women’s contribution to the national development drive and taking care of their needs in the Labour markets. Al-Ansari said the Crown Prince’s move would positively impact the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women and the National Model to Integrate Women’s Needs in Development.