Supreme Council for Women
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Council for Women is Bahrain
’s advisory body to the government on women's issues. It is chaired by Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa
, the wife of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Its secretary general is Lulwa Al Awadhi
, who was given the rank of honorary cabinet minister in 2001.
The Supreme Council was established to promote women’s rights in the Kingdom and women’s full participation in society, and has been at the forefront of the campaign for the introduction of a unified personal status law (see women’s political rights in Bahrain
for more details). It has also published studies, worked to coordinate campaigns with other women’s rights groups, and sought to promote
female candidates
for the 2006 municipal and general elections
. Among the candidates contesting the 2006 poll, to be held on 26 November 2006, is the Council's Dr Munira Fakhro
, who is standing for the ex-Marxist Waad
.
According to Lulwa Al Awadhi the biggest obstacle to women's rights in Bahrain are clerics, who set political agendas for their followers and have remained steadfastly against a united family law in the kingdom. Ms Al-Awadhi said of particular concern is Shia clerics' objections to women taking part in municipal elections due to what she termed their 'strange' perception that female municipal councillors may be called late in the night to help with a municipal problem and thus be placed in a morally compromising situation.http://www.kuwaittimes.net/localnews.asp?dismode=article&artid=40889043
Former activist with the Supreme Council, Dr Nada Haffadh, was appointed Bahrain’s first full female cabinet minister in 2004 when she became Minister of Health. Several other members are legislators in the upper chamber of parliament, the Consultative Council.
Ghada Jamsheer, the most prominent women's rights activist in Bahrain has accused the Supreme Council of hindering women's rights in Bahrain, calling it a "government cliché". In a statement in December 2006 she said:
In May 2007 statement, the Women's Petition Committee called for the dissolution of the Supreme Council for Women, citing its failure in "building and supporting Bahraini women". It further noted that "most women attained decision making positions on the basis of tribal or sectarian affiliation or personal allegiance to the Authorities and some members of the Royal court." The statement claimed that the SCW withheld support to prominent female activist Munira Fakhro
in the 2006 elections
, knowingly allowing Ali Salah of the Salafist Islamist Al Asalah
party to win.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
’s advisory body to the government on women's issues. It is chaired by Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa
Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa
Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa is Queen consort and the first wife of the present King of Bahrain, Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa, and the mother of the Crown Prince, Salman ibn Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa.-Personal life:...
, the wife of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Its secretary general is Lulwa Al Awadhi
Lulwa Al Awadhi
Lulwa Al Awadhi is a leading Bahrani women's rights advocate and the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Women, the main women's organisation in Bahrain...
, who was given the rank of honorary cabinet minister in 2001.
The Supreme Council was established to promote women’s rights in the Kingdom and women’s full participation in society, and has been at the forefront of the campaign for the introduction of a unified personal status law (see women’s political rights in Bahrain
Women's political rights in Bahrain
Women’s political rights have been a cornerstone of the political reforms initiated by King Hamad with for the first time women being given the right to vote and stand as candidates in national elections after the constitution was amended in 2002...
for more details). It has also published studies, worked to coordinate campaigns with other women’s rights groups, and sought to promote
female candidates
Bahrain election 2006 women candidates
Women candidates of the 2006 Bahrain election, which took place on the November 25, 2006 were reported to have received numerous threats from Islamic salafist and other factions to prevent them taking part...
for the 2006 municipal and general elections
Elections in Bahrain
The National Assembly is bicameral with the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, having 40 members elected in single-seat constituencies for a four year term. The upper house, the Shura Council, has 40 members appointed by the King of Bahrain, with the stated aim of giving a voice to minority...
. Among the candidates contesting the 2006 poll, to be held on 26 November 2006, is the Council's Dr Munira Fakhro
Munira Fakhro
Munira Fakhro, is a Bahraini academic and was a candidate in Bahrain's 2006 general election for the opposition Waad.Dr Fakhro is Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain, having received her Doctorate in Social Policy, Planning and Administration from Columbia University where she has...
, who is standing for the ex-Marxist Waad
National Democratic Action
The National Democratic Action Society - Wa'ad is Bahrain's largest leftist political party. It emerged out of the Popular Front, a radical clandestine opposition movement of Maoist, socialist and Arab nationalist orientation...
.
According to Lulwa Al Awadhi the biggest obstacle to women's rights in Bahrain are clerics, who set political agendas for their followers and have remained steadfastly against a united family law in the kingdom. Ms Al-Awadhi said of particular concern is Shia clerics' objections to women taking part in municipal elections due to what she termed their 'strange' perception that female municipal councillors may be called late in the night to help with a municipal problem and thus be placed in a morally compromising situation.http://www.kuwaittimes.net/localnews.asp?dismode=article&artid=40889043
Former activist with the Supreme Council, Dr Nada Haffadh, was appointed Bahrain’s first full female cabinet minister in 2004 when she became Minister of Health. Several other members are legislators in the upper chamber of parliament, the Consultative Council.
Ghada Jamsheer, the most prominent women's rights activist in Bahrain has accused the Supreme Council of hindering women's rights in Bahrain, calling it a "government cliché". In a statement in December 2006 she said:
In May 2007 statement, the Women's Petition Committee called for the dissolution of the Supreme Council for Women, citing its failure in "building and supporting Bahraini women". It further noted that "most women attained decision making positions on the basis of tribal or sectarian affiliation or personal allegiance to the Authorities and some members of the Royal court." The statement claimed that the SCW withheld support to prominent female activist Munira Fakhro
Munira Fakhro
Munira Fakhro, is a Bahraini academic and was a candidate in Bahrain's 2006 general election for the opposition Waad.Dr Fakhro is Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain, having received her Doctorate in Social Policy, Planning and Administration from Columbia University where she has...
in the 2006 elections
Bahraini parliamentary election, 2006
Bahrain held parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, as well as municipal elections. There was a 72% turnout in the first round of polling...
, knowingly allowing Ali Salah of the Salafist Islamist Al Asalah
Al Asalah
The Al Asalah Islamic Society is the main Salafist political party in Bahrain, with four MPs after 2006's general election .The party is the political wing of the Islamic Education Society...
party to win.
External links
- Supreme Council for Women (Arabic)
- Supreme Council’s campaign for the personal status law (Arabic)
- 'Clerics biggest obstacle to women's rights in Bahrain' Kuwait Times, 1 April 2006
- Prospective women poll candidates learn campaigning Khaleej Times, 21 March 2006
- Seminar to focus on women's achievements Gulf News, 23 March 2006