HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women's Empowerment
Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women's Empowerment has gained significant international recognition, with its reach expanding globally and attracting diverse projects and initiatives. Launched to highlight the success stories of individuals and institutions advancing women's empowerment, the award has become a prestigious platform for showcasing groundbreaking efforts aimed at improving the status of women worldwide.
In partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the Kingdom of Bahrain, through the Supreme Council for Women, is set to announce the start of the third edition of the award on March 11. This announcement will also mark the opening of applications and nominations for the prestigious award. The third edition represents a significant step forward after two successful previous sessions and will be officially launched at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York City next month.
The Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women's Empowerment was initially launched as the 'Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award for the Empowerment of Bahraini Women.' Given the success of the national version, the Supreme Council for Women collaborated with UN Women to create an international version of the award, ensuring alignment with global standards and practices. The award aims to recognize the contributions of governments, organizations, and individuals dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls worldwide.
With its third edition, the award seeks to reflect Bahrain's commitment to gender equality, celebrating the progress made within the Kingdom while also spreading effective practices to elevate women's status globally. The Kingdom's dedication to promoting women's empowerment aligns with the United Nations' sustainable development goals, especially Goal 5: Gender Equality. By honoring women's leadership, it aims to demonstrate the importance of empowering women as equal partners in driving comprehensive and sustainable development across the world.
The award recognizes efforts in four key categories: the public sector, private sector, civil society organizations, and individuals. It encourages participation from countries and institutions committed to bridging gender gaps and implementing sustainable policies for women's empowerment. The award's criteria emphasize the creation of scientific methodologies or policies aimed at reducing gender disparities and the long-term sustainability of these initiatives.
Prizes are awarded in each category, with winners receiving a significant recognition of $100,000. The first edition of the award, held in 2019, saw Abu Dhabi Police win the Public Sector category, the Mahala Sahayarta Microfinance Foundation from Nepal winning the Private Sector category, and the All Kenya Sustainable Development Foundation winning in the Civil Society category. In the Individuals category, Dr. Kalpana Sankar's initiative, Hand in Hand India, was recognized for empowering women through digital and financial services.
The second edition of the award, held in 2022, honored the Public Defender's Office in the State of Bahia, Brazil, for its gender equality policy aimed at reducing inequality and empowering women. The Private Sector category was awarded to D-Olivet International from Nigeria for its work in providing clean energy to rural neighborhoods. The Rukungiri Foundation for Integrated Women's Development in Uganda won the Civil Society category for its advocacy for marginalized women, while Nawal Sayed Mustafa Attia from Egypt won the Individuals category for her work in supporting female prisoners and their children.
The third edition promises to continue honoring efforts that create lasting, positive change for women, ensuring a global platform for recognizing impactful contributions to gender equality. Through this prestigious award, Bahrain reiterates its commitment to the cause of women's empowerment, providing a voice to those working tirelessly to break barriers and pave the way for a more equal future.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain elected to UN Women Executive Board for 2026–2028
Lulwa Saleh Al Awadhi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), emphasised that Bahrain's election to the Executive Board of UN Women for the 2026–2028 term reflects the Kingdom's growing international role in women's advancement. She attributed the achievement to the efforts of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of the SCW, whose support has been key to empowering Bahraini women and advancing their leadership. Al Awadhi noted that Bahrain secured one of five Asia-Pacific seats, alongside Japan, China, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines, underlining its global standing in supporting women's advancement. She added that this is Bahrain's second term, following its previous membership from 2017 to 2019. Al Awadhi said that this achievement crowns a series of national milestones in advancing Bahraini women, who now hold key roles in decision making and leadership and have contributed significantly to the Kingdom's development. Empowerment Al Awadhi highlighted that Bahrain's term coincides with the third edition of the Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women's Empowerment. The award, held in cooperation with UN Women, reinforces Bahrain's commitment to global best practices. Al Awadhi emphasised that Bahrain will use its membership to support the efforts of UN Women and contribute to the formulation of global policies and strategies that empower women, enhance their role in building societies and achieving sustainable development goals, and advance their participation in technology, science, and various domains, in line with Bahrain's longstanding principles of equality and equal opportunity.
Biz Bahrain
27-05-2025
- Biz Bahrain
Shura Council and SCW sign agreement to advance women's role in development
Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Chairman of the Shura Council, and Dr. Shaikha Mariam bint Hassan Al Khalifa, Deputy Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), signed a cooperation agreement between the two councils. The agreement aims to enhance coordination in the development and advancement of women's affairs across constitutional and civil institutions, support their role in public life, and ensure their integration into comprehensive development efforts. It builds on existing cooperation through the Gender Balance Committee and other legal frameworks. Al Saleh emphasised that the agreement marks a key step in strengthening institutional cooperation and joint efforts to develop policies and legislation that advance Bahraini women's active participation across all sectors. He noted that this aligns with the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He also highlighted the importance of partnership with the SCW, commending its leadership under Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the SCW, in promoting women's empowerment and integrating their needs into national development. He added that the Shura Council prioritises national goals for women's progress, recognising their key role in national development, and remains committed to supporting initiatives and legislation that uphold their rights, safeguard achievements, and enhance their role in decision-making. On her part, Dr. Shaikha Maryam bint Hassan described the agreement as a key milestone in institutional cooperation, aiming to reinforce national partnership in supporting the advancement of Bahraini women and strengthening their presence in national arenas, particularly within the legislative sphere. Dr. Shaikha Maryam bint Hassan Al Khalifa stated that the cooperation reflects the vision and guidance of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who champions integrated national efforts to empower women as equal and active partners in development and policy-making. The agreement provides for each side to form a specialised committee to monitor the implementation of the national gender balance model. These committees will work to establish the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks to integrate women's needs using the tools and mechanisms available within each party's competencies, in line with the principle of equal opportunities and gender balance. The agreement also allows the Shura Council to invite SCW representatives to attend meetings of its permanent and ad hoc committees to provide input on draft laws and legislative proposals related to women's affairs. The agreement further aims to enhance cooperation on delegations and participation in conferences and forums at local, regional, and international levels related to women's issues, contributing to the promotion of Bahrain's parliamentary experience in supporting women's involvement in comprehensive national development. It also includes cooperation in organising joint activities, exchanging information, statistics, expertise, and conducting research and studies related to legislative proposals concerning women's affairs. BNA(R)
Bahrain News Gazette
30-04-2025
- Bahrain News Gazette
Shura Second Deputy Chairman Highlights Bahraini Women's Progress, Calls for Stronger Regional Cooperation
Rabat: Dr. Jihad Abdullah Al Fadhel, Second Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Network of Women Parliamentarians in Africa and the Arab World, chaired the network's meeting on the sidelines of the South-South Parliamentary Dialogue Forum in Rabat. She highlighted that Bahraini women have made significant progress in legislation, the economy, and society, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. She commended the contributions of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), in advancing women's empowerment. According to Bahrain News Agency, Dr. Al Fadhel reviewed Bahrain's experience in women's development and emphasised the importance of sharing expertise across Africa and the Arab world. She announced the Shura Council's readiness to host the network's first training programme, focusing on the use of technology to enhance the performance of Arab and African women parliamentarians. Dr. Al Fadhel underlined the challenges women continue to face, particularly legislative, economic, cultural, and social barriers, and called for collective action to enhance legal protections, support economic participation, and combat stereotypes limiting public engagement. She emphasised the need for regional solidarity and proposed launching a legislative empowerment programme for African women parliamentarians. She also welcomed a proposal to establish an annual award recognising outstanding women parliamentarians in Africa and the Arab world, aiming to encourage excellence and innovation. Dr. Al Fadhel concluded by calling for stronger joint programmes, support for young parliamentarians, and greater integration of women's issues into regional and international agendas.
