By REBECCA TORR
Published: 12th September 2007
BAHRAIN is ahead of other Arab countries in its initiatives to close the gender gap, but it still has a long way to go, says a UN gender consultant. While Bahraini women are fairing well compared to other countries in terms of education, being economically active and setting up their own businesses, they still find it difficult to make it into decision-making positions, said UN Development Programme Arab Countries gender consultant Dr Fatima Khafagy.
“Thirty one per cent of commercially registered enterprises in Bahrain are in the name of women and this is a high number compared to other countries, but still there is a wide gender gap in other fields such as in high government and managerial positions,” she told the GDN.
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 12th September 2007
BAHRAIN is ahead of other Arab countries in its initiatives to close the gender gap, but it still has a long way to go, says a UN gender consultant. While Bahraini women are fairing well compared to other countries in terms of education, being economically active and setting up their own businesses, they still find it difficult to make it into decision-making positions, said UN Development Programme Arab Countries gender consultant Dr Fatima Khafagy.
“Thirty one per cent of commercially registered enterprises in Bahrain are in the name of women and this is a high number compared to other countries, but still there is a wide gender gap in other fields such as in high government and managerial positions,” she told the GDN.
“Women can vote but their representation in the Shura and Municipal councils and parliament is small, but the country has various initiatives that are addressing this.
“I found from statistics that women are concentrated in specific ministries such as the ministries of Health and Education, but they need to be spread in others, they shouldn’t be stereotyped to only being teachers or nurses.”
Dr Khafagy said cultural perceptions took time to address, but she was happy to see the whole region had started to make positive steps to ensure women are represented and empowered and there is gender equality.
The gender consultant was speaking on the sidelines of a three-day workshop that concludes at the Crowne Plaza today.
Dr Khafagy is conducting the UNDP Bahrain workshop with the assistance of gender training consultant Amal Shafiq.
About 35 officials from all UN offices in Bahrain are taking part, along with national project directors who represent different ministries and government institutions.
The event serves as a way of boosting the UN’s internal capacity to mainstream gender into its programmes and service lines.
Its objective is to ensure UN agencies in Bahrain have accessible to information and the necessary resources to support gender-mainstreaming programming. The training also provides an environment to create a unified gender strategic action plan with the UN Country Team in Bahrain.
The UNDP Bahrain says it is committed to achieving the goal of gender equality and women empowerment through mainstreaming gender in both its management practices and within its programmes with the involvement of all UN agencies here.
The workshop intends to strengthen the capacities of staff to better achieve and respond to gender mainstreaming by enhancing their skills, knowledge and to adopt integrated approaches by way of a gender strategy to be applied in all UN Bahrain offices as well as in their national counterparts.
“This is training for UN agencies and their counterparts from the government,” explained Dr Khafagy.
“It’s about gender sensitisation – trying to change the work culture, so human resources and work methods become gender aware.
“All UN offices must be gender sensitive in work procedures, recruitment projects and promotions.”
“Within non-governmental organisations and the government, there must be gender mainstreaming.”
Dr Khafagy said NGOs, the government and the business community needed to look at the needs and interests of different groups of women and men according to age, religion and ethnicity and analyse their programmes and procedures to make sure all are benefiting.
“There are gender analysis tools we are using and this is participation training where they bring their own life experiences about their behaviour and the behaviour of others,” she noted.
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