Time ‘is right for women winners’
By Geoffrey bew
Published: 20 November 2006
FEMALE candidates have a good chance of winning seats in Bahrain’s parliamentary elections, an envoy declared yesterday.
French Ambassador to Bahrain Malika Berak believes the country is ready to elect women when voters go to the polls on Saturday.
“I feel that yes, the chance is big,” she told the GDN.
“It is time. They (Bahrainis) don’t have to wait any longer.”
Ms Berak was speaking after a Press conference at her residence in Manama to announce details of the second Women’s Voices Forum.
The three-day event, which starts on Sunday at the Bahrain National Museum, will feature round-table discussions with prominent women from Bahrain
Time ‘is right for women winners’
By Geoffrey bew
Published: 20 November 2006
FEMALE candidates have a good chance of winning seats in Bahrain’s parliamentary elections, an envoy declared yesterday.
French Ambassador to Bahrain Malika Berak believes the country is ready to elect women when voters go to the polls on Saturday.
“I feel that yes, the chance is big,” she told the GDN.
“It is time. They (Bahrainis) don’t have to wait any longer.”
Ms Berak was speaking after a Press conference at her residence in Manama to announce details of the second Women’s Voices Forum.
The three-day event, which starts on Sunday at the Bahrain National Museum, will feature round-table discussions with prominent women from Bahrain
and France, who will discuss women’s rights in
politics, education and business.
Information Ministry Assistant Under-Secretary for Culture and National Heritage Shaikha Mai bint Khalifa Al Khalifa will be among those taking part, as well as Social Development Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi, General Organisation for Youth and Sports childhood and girls activities director Amal Al Dosari and the French Ambassador in charge of social affairs and parity in international relations
Nicole Ameline.
One of the highlights will be a lunch debate titled the Voices of Expatriate Women, with around 40 guests from five associations, who will introduce themselves and their work.
The Indian Ladies’ Association, Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society, Pakistani Women’s Association, Migrant Workers’ Protection Society and Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society will be among those participating.
A film festival will run alongside the programme highlighting issues discussed at the event.
Ms Berak said Bahrain was similar to many countries in that it still has a long way to go in achieving equality between men and women.
“They have a long way to go like other countries, because you always
have a gap between legislation, rights and reality,” she said.
“But it is getting better and we can see now that Bahrain has female candidates for parliament and in France we have a female candidate for the presidency.”
Ms Berak said the forum would be open to men and women.
“We decided to repeat this event because we felt that there were important issues not covered in last year’s forum,” she said.
“Many key public figures have accepted our invitation to participate.
“It is a way to talk about a very important issue today in Bahrain and France – the place of women in politics, society and education. “Bahrain is quite active in these subjects,” she said. The first forum was held in November last year.
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