Latest news with #NationalPlanfortheAdvancementofBahrainiWomen
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Supreme Council for Women Approves New National Plan to Empower Bahraini Women (2025–2026)
The Supreme Council for Women (SCW), chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the wife of the King and President of the Council, has approved the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women for 2025–2026. This plan highlights four key focus areas as priorities for the coming period: family stability, decision-making, economic participation, and quality of life. Each focus area includes various initiatives organized around five main pillars: policies, gender-responsive budgets, awareness and training, auditing and monitoring, and follow-up and evaluation. Family Stability: A Core Priority Family stability stands as a top priority in the new plan, emphasizing the crucial role of women as active partners in building the nation, family, and society. The Council stresses the importance of preserving Bahrain's family values and heritage to create a supportive family environment that helps women balance their family and societal roles. Empowering Women in Decision-Making The second main area focuses on increasing women's participation in decision-making roles. The Council is committed to promoting equal opportunities and gender balance to empower Bahraini women fully. The goal is to raise the number of women in leadership positions across various sectors, allowing them to contribute effectively to the country's development. The Council has developed innovative approaches to address women's and families' issues, recognizing that true progress for women depends on a stable family environment. Efforts aim to build an integrated system that protects and supports women at every stage of life. A Holistic Vision for Women's Empowerment The Council continues to work toward empowering Bahraini women by integrating their needs into national development programs. This ensures the sustainability of family stability and strong family bonds, which are essential to Bahrain's social cohesion and prosperity. The Council's work extends beyond serving women alone; it positively impacts their families—the fundamental building block of Bahraini society. Collaboration with partners remains vital to achieving family stability, based on the belief that sustainable community development depends on a balanced partnership between men and women. This partnership ensures women's full participation in development while fulfilling their family roles. The plan includes dedicated resources, policies, and programs to address women's needs and promote gender equality. Promoting Gender Balance in Leadership The Council emphasizes the importance of women's ongoing participation in leadership roles, considering gender balance essential for inclusive decision-making and diverse perspectives. International experience shows that institutions with balanced gender representation tend to be more innovative and effective. Guided by the SCW, public and private sectors, along with civil society, are working to strengthen women's skills and prepare new female leaders capable of competing for decision-making positions. Princess Sabeeka Award for Bahraini Women's Advancement Among the notable initiatives is the Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award for the Advancement of Bahraini Women. This award is the first of its kind in its scope and goals, aiming to enhance women's competitiveness as productive contributors by promoting gender balance and sustainable progress in the workforce, thereby increasing women's contribution to the national economy. The award also encourages government agencies, private companies, and civil society organizations to support working women through training and development, helping more women assume leadership and decision-making roles and reinforcing non-discrimination policies. Key Initiatives Under the Plan Family Stability: Reviewing family-related laws and policies, improving social care and protection services for women, updating the national strategy against domestic violence, expanding family guidance centers and protection offices, and supporting women with disabilities or those caring for people with disabilities. Decision-Making: Updating policies to sustain women's roles in leadership across public, private, and civil sectors; increasing women's participation on boards of publicly listed companies; and supporting women in judicial and diplomatic roles. Gender-Responsive Budgets: Enhancing housing services for women, ensuring budgets meet women's needs in all housing programs, and coordinating emergency support for women in urgent situations. Awareness and Training: Conducting programs for soon-to-be-married couples and parents about rights and responsibilities; life skills training in family management, savings, work-life balance; awareness about women's roles in preserving national values; and developing school curricula to promote gender equality, mental health, communication skills, and bullying prevention. Youth Volunteerism: Implementing the Princess Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa Youth Volunteerism Award, highlighting success stories in volunteer work and studying its impact on youth volunteering programs. The Supreme Council for Women reaffirms its dedication to advancing Bahraini women's status across all areas of life, ensuring their active role in building a strong, stable, and prosperous society.
Biz Bahrain
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Biz Bahrain
SCW launches National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025–2026
The Supreme Council for Women (SCW), chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King, has launched the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025–2026. The plan focuses on four priority areas: family stability, decision making, economic participation, and quality of life. Each area includes initiatives across five key dimensions: policies, gender responsive budgeting, awareness and training, auditing and oversight, and monitoring and evaluation. The National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025–2026 was developed based on solid foundations derived from national principles and frameworks, including the Royal Decree establishing the Supreme Council for Women, its direct affiliation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and its presidency by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King. The plan is further grounded in the Council's mandate as outlined in Royal Decree (44) of 2001 and its amendments, the components of the National Strategy for the Advancement of Bahraini Women endorsed by His Majesty the King in 2005, as well as previous national plans for 2007–2012 and 2013–2022, and the evaluation report of the 2013–2022 plan. The plan also draws inspiration from Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, the aspirations of Vision 2050, the Government Programme, and the National Gender Balance Model. It aligns with the concluding observations on Bahrain's international mandatory and voluntary reports, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In addition, the plan is informed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, with particular focus on goals that are directly relevant to women, namely Goal 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, and Goal 10 on reducing inequality within and among countries. The National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025–2026 builds upon the significant progress made in empowering Bahraini women and their access to leadership and decision making roles across vital sectors. It serves as a strategic roadmap aimed at further advancing women's leadership and reinforcing the sustainability of their contributions. The plan seeks to enhance women's participation in national development within an enabling legislative environment and through policies that support women's advancement. It also focuses on continued efforts to invest in the development of women's capacities, ensure gender balance, and promote equal opportunities across all fields. This approach aims to sustain the achievements of Bahraini women, enabling them to carry out their national responsibilities with competence and distinction. The plan adopts a rigorous scientific methodology in analysing the current status of Bahraini women. Within each of its four focus areas, the plan includes a dedicated component for follow up and evaluation, centred on impact assessment. This involves presenting detailed diagnostics based on the latest official data and statistics, alongside key performance indicators designed to measure progress toward the objectives of each area. These indicators evaluate the efficiency, impact, and effectiveness of the related initiatives. The resulting assessments provide a clear picture of the current situation and a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation outcomes. This forms the basis for setting future goals and formulating the necessary plans to maintain progress. An assessment of the current participation of Bahraini women reveals a notable increase in their presence across key sectors, disciplines, and fields. Bahraini women have moved beyond the empowerment phase in political and public life, advancing toward leadership by assuming decision making roles. They have held ministerial posts in areas such as health, housing, tourism, youth, and sustainable development, in addition to executive positions across both the public and private sectors. This progression reflects broader trends in gender participation indicators and highlights a growing societal awareness of the importance of women's engagement in public affairs. Bahraini women have established a strong presence in elected councils and made significant strides within the legislative authority, including holding leadership roles such as the presidency of the Council of Representatives. They have also taken on key roles in municipal councils, the judiciary, and the Public Prosecution. These achievements reflect the success of a structured institutional approach rooted in firm national principles. This approach has been driven by the Supreme Council for Women since its establishment, through mechanisms such as memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements with ministries and official institutions, integration of the national plan into the government action programme, and implementation of the national model for gender balance. In terms of political participation, women held eight seats in the Council of Representatives in 2023, accounting for 20% of its membership. In the Shura Council, ten women served, representing 25%. Women also held three seats in municipal councils, or 10%, and four seats in the Capital Trustees Board, accounting for 40% in 2023. Additionally, a Bahraini woman assumed the presidency of the Council of Representatives in 2018. In specialised sectors, Bahraini women continued to demonstrate strong representation. As of 2024, there were 2,798 Bahraini female doctors, comprising 66% of the total, and 3,657 Bahraini female nurses, accounting for 83%. In higher education, the number of Bahraini female academics reached 536 in 2023, representing 55% of the academic workforce. Additionally, there were 436 Bahraini female engineers in the public sector in 2024, making up 37%. The National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025–2026 focuses on continuing efforts to close existing gaps and implement outstanding priorities from previous plans to support women's participation and achieve gender balance in sectors where women remain in the stages of empowerment or advancement. It seeks to promote family stability for women by further developing the legislative framework, strengthening social protection policies, and raising legal and family awareness. The plan also underscores the importance of enhancing women's role within the family and society, preserving national values and identity, and maintaining the presence of women in leadership positions and decision making roles across various sectors. In addition, the plan's directions include continued efforts to strengthen women's status in private sector institutions, increase their participation on corporate boards and in civil society organisations, and enhance their economic position to ensure sustainable economic engagement in the labour market. The plan places particular focus on emerging and promising fields, especially in technology sectors such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and digital transformation. It aims to achieve equal opportunities and provide legal safeguards that help women balance family responsibilities with their professional roles. Further, it promotes awareness of healthy lifestyle practices and environmental wellbeing to enhance women's quality of life, improve workplace safety services, and raise awareness of the impact of climate change on women's health while empowering their contribution to environmental preservation. These integrated pillars align with royal directives, constitutional rights, and the mandate of the Supreme Council for Women, and support the Council's goals of empowering Bahraini women, advancing their achievements, and fostering leadership. The plan establishes a clear institutional framework for implementing initiatives across its four focus areas. This framework precisely defines the roles and responsibilities of all relevant stakeholders, emphasising effective coordination mechanisms between government institutions, the private sector, and civil society organisations. This institutional approach ensures that implementation is not confined to a single entity but is treated as a shared national responsibility involving various specialised bodies. It reflects the maturity of Bahrain's approach to women's empowerment and its commitment to enhancing institutional cooperation to achieve the plan's intended objectives. The plan presents an ambitious vision that focuses on increasing women's economic participation while diversifying employment opportunities available to them. It places particular emphasis on emerging and modern sectors such as technology and the digital economy, ensuring alignment with the future needs of the labour. This forward looking approach positions women's empowerment as a key driver of economic development and emphasises their role as essential partners in shaping the future of the nation. The inclusion of family stability as a core priority in the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women 2025–2026 reflects the Supreme Council for Women's recognition of the vital role of women as active partners in building the nation, the family, and society. It underscores the importance of preserving national values and the authentic identity of the Bahraini family, and of ensuring a stable family environment that supports women's empowerment and enables them to balance their multiple roles. The Council's focus on promoting family stability stems from the value placed on strong familial and social cohesion, and the importance of enhancing women's capacity to contribute competitively to national development. This is pursued within a framework of equal opportunities and the integration of women's needs into development processes, enabling women to access new opportunities for advancing their choices and achieving a healthy balance between personal and professional life. The Supreme Council for Women has consistently worked to safeguard the achievements that have enabled Bahraini women to attain decision making positions, particularly within the legislative and executive branches. The Council continues to strive towards further strengthening women's representation in other areas, with the aim of increasing their presence in the judiciary, on the boards of major corporations, and within civil society institutions. To support this, the Council is implementing initiatives that highlight women's success stories and the impact of their leadership. It also seeks to unify national efforts in establishing a comprehensive programme to support and enable women's access to the boards of public shareholding companies. This includes reviewing and developing relevant policies, as well as implementing awareness and training programmes to build women's leadership capacities and prepare them for board membership across promising domains. Within the domain of economic participation, the plan aims to continue efforts to review and enhance policies, regulations, and frameworks that support and strengthen the role of women in the economic sector. It seeks to ensure the sustainability of women's active participation in the labour market and entrepreneurship, while promoting equal opportunities and gender balance. The plan also focuses on highlighting exemplary female figures and their leadership in various economic fields. Special attention is given to emerging and promising areas, particularly within technological sectors such as artificial intelligence, digital content creation, digital transformation, information technology, financial technology, telecommunications, renewable energy, and modern sciences. The plan further emphasises the importance of providing legal protections to help women balance their family responsibilities with professional commitments. The domain of quality of life includes the implementation of initiatives and awareness programmes aimed at promoting healthy, safe, and sustainable lifestyle practices for Bahraini women and their families. It also focuses on improving workplace safety services for women, supporting women's sports, and providing the necessary facilities to help women achieve a balanced and fulfilling quality of life. These efforts complement national initiatives in the area of wellbeing, where Bahrain has made significant progress in promoting women's health and safety. The Kingdom continues to advance in this area in line with efforts to ensure that Bahraini women have access to diverse and evolving options for improving their quality of life. This is supported by enabling legislation, supportive policies, and the strategic partnerships of the Supreme Council for Women with national stakeholders committed to institutional progress for women. Based on the framework outlined in the plan, the forthcoming phase of the Supreme Council for Women's work beyond 2026 will focus on marking a new stage in the advancement of Bahraini women. This stage will represent a shift from empowerment and progress to the pursuit of leadership. The Council aspires to support Bahraini women in reaching new heights of distinguished leadership across various domains. This strategic transformation builds on years of dedicated efforts in the area of women's empowerment, in line with the Council's mandate, which has yielded tangible programmes and achievements at the local, regional, and international levels. BNA(R)
Daily Tribune
13-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Bahraini Women Power Ahead
TDT | Manama Young Bahraini women with bold business dreams are stepping into global markets through the fifth edition of the 'Imtiaz' initiative, launched by the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) to champion export-ready female-led startups. First launched in 2011 by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), the 'Imtiaz' platform has evolved into a key springboard for women-led enterprises aiming to scale beyond Bahrain. Participation has surged since its inception, rising from 11 entrepreneurs in the first round to 98 in the fourth. Now in its fifth cycle, the initiative is actively calling for applications from Bahraini women under 45 with at least three years of entrepreneurial experience, whose businesses are licensed and hold majority ownership. A strong emphasis is placed on export potential, creativity, sustainability, and readiness for digital transformation. Support system 'Imtiaz' does more than recognise excellence. It offers branding benefits, access to investors, expert mentorship, and media visibility to winners. Participants gain tools to refine their products, develop marketing strategies, and meet international standards - helping them compete beyond Bahrain's borders. Eligibility conditions include submitting financial documentation and proof of legal licensing, and showing a strong foundation in buying, selling, or services. Judges assess projects on innovation, scalability, governance, and social responsibility. Past winners from previous editions have built thriving businesses in fields ranging from food manufacturing and law to tech consulting, interior design, and medical services. From local to global The latest round also places new weight on strategic readiness for international expansion. Projects must integrate digital tools, align with Fourth Industrial Revolution trends, and demonstrate risk management plans and operational resilience. This focus is part of a broader national effort to enhance women's participation in the economy, consistent with the goals of the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women. Flexibility It reflects a push toward equal opportunity, combining professional ambition with the flexibility to balance family life. Entrepreneurs who meet the criteria can now apply to join the fifth 'Imtiaz' cohort and take their business vision global.
Daily Tribune
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Talks on national plan for women's advancement
The Supreme Council for Women (SCW) held a coordination meeting with representatives from ministries and official institutions to present the 2025–2026 National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women. The meeting highlighted the Council's commitment to national partnership in advancing women's development, in line with the long-term strategy launched in 2005 under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, with oversight by the Supreme Council for Women led by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the Council. It marked the beginning of a series of similar sessions the Council plans to hold with other national partners involved in implementing the plan, including institutions from the private sector and civil society. SCW Secretary- General Lulwa Al Awadhi outlined the structure and priorities of the new plan, which brings together initiatives that remain pending from previous phases, alongside programmes aligned with the current Government Action Plan.
Biz Bahrain
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Biz Bahrain
SCW and IPA sign MoU
Lulwa Saleh Al Awadhi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), met with Dr. Shaikha Rana bint Isa Al Khalifa, Director General of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), to enhance institutional cooperation. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deliver specialised training programmes aligned with the Council's goals on gender balance, women's integration, and equal opportunities. The agreement also covers collaboration in leadership development, data sharing, joint research, consulting, awareness events, and support for the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women (2025 – 2026). A joint working team will oversee implementation, evaluate outcomes, and submit annual progress reports. BNA(R)
