Protection of women’s rights urged
By Tariq Khonji
Published: 14th January 2007
THE Arab world has a long way to go before the level of women’s rights can reach international standards, women’s rights activists said yesterday. Children and Mothers Information Centre president Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa said that there was no longer any room in the world for discrimination between the sexes.
“The world today no longer believes in such divisions. The global trend is for one world in which men and women work together to achieve common economic, political, cultural, social and civil goals,” she said.
Protection of women’s rights urged
By Tariq Khonji
Published: 14th January 2007
THE Arab world has a long way to go before the level of women’s rights can reach international standards, women’s rights activists said yesterday. Children and Mothers Information Centre president Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa said that there was no longer any room in the world for discrimination between the sexes.
“The world today no longer believes in such divisions. The global trend is for one world in which men and women work together to achieve common economic, political, cultural, social and civil goals,” she said.
Shaikha Hind said that while women in Bahrain have risen to very high leadership positions, there are still many forms of discrimination which remain firmly in place.
“Bahrain’s constitution states that all nationals are equal before the law and should face no discrimination based on sex, origin, language, religion or belief,” she continued.
“But there are still many areas where women are treated differently. For example, they still face discrimination when receiving scholarships and they still make up only 23 per cent of the labour force.
“Their civil rights are also violated, especially in issues dealing with marriage and divorce.
“There were a lot of discriminatory practices that prevented women from winning in the recent parliamentary and municipal elections.”
Shaikha Hind was speaking at a prize distribution for the best projects submitted for the fifth Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Scientific Prize.
The ceremony was held at the Children and Mothers Welfare Society premises in Isa Town.
The $5,000 (BD1,890) first place prize was won by Egyptian researcher Dr Dhiya Al Din Mohammed Al Mutawa for his paper on the role of educational institutions in fighting discrimination against women.
He was followed by Omani scholar Nadhira bint Ahmed Al Harthi, who was awarded $3,000 (BD1,134) for her project on the view of women in social studies curricula.
The third place winner was Bahraini Ahmed Mubarak Salim, who received $2,000 (BD756) for his research into Bahraini society’s view of women.
Shura Council chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh, who presented the awards, said that Bahrain was signatory to most of the major international agreements against discrimination against women.
“We in the Shura Council will support any initiative which reduces discrimination and amend laws to make them align better with these agreements and in accordance with Islamic law,” he said.
“Bahraini women also need to strengthen their resolve and efforts to help improve the situation.”
© Gulf Daily News
