On the twenty -second of August, the Kingdom of Bahrain celebrates the twenty -four anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Council for Women, the National Foundation, whose pillars have been established by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of the country, since 2001, to be a basic pillar in the development process, and a leading platform to support and empower Bahraini women.
Since the early days of the era, His Majesty affirmed his absolute belief that women are an authentic partner in building the homeland, and that enabling them is a strategic necessity for the renaissance and development of the state. The establishment of the Supreme Council for Women came to embody this vision, and to open a spacious horizons for Bahraini women, and devote their presence and status in various fields.
It is not possible to talk about the council’s march without stopping at the continuous support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, the Prime Minister, who made the gender balance an integral part of government policies and development programs, in recognition of His Highness the importance of investing women’s energies in enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy.
The Supreme Council of Women leads with an insightful vision and determination, Her Royal Highness Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the wife of His Majesty the Great King, President of the Supreme Council for Women, who brought together wisdom and humanity in her leadership of the march of the advancement of Bahraini women. Her Highness has paid special attention to women and family, and made the council a national platform based on the values of justice and equality, and the center of regional and global radiation to follow. Thanks to its good directives and its pre -emptive vision, the council’s initiatives turned into inspiring success stories, Bahrain’s presence on the map of excellence in the field of empowering women, and established the Kingdom’s reputation in international forums as a leading model.
For twenty -four years, the Supreme Council for Women has launched many pioneering initiatives, most notably the gender balance program, which has become a role model at the region, as well as training and qualification programs to support economic empowerment of women, initiatives to support business leaders, and integrated efforts to protect women and the family.
Not only did the council be limited to the interior, but extended to the international arena through agreements and partnerships with international organizations, and active participation in international forums, which strengthened Bahrain’s position as a leading country in the field of empowering women, and is crowned with prestigious international prizes and classifications. Today, the fruit of these efforts is evident in the presence of Bahraini women in various national action sites: she is the doctor, teacher, engineer, judge, minister, agent and diplomacy And the advisor, in addition to her growing role in the security, defense and economy sectors, truly, proven that its empowerment was not a grant, but rather an investment in authentic national capabilities.
Our celebration of the 24th anniversary of the founding of the Supreme Council for Women is not only a pause with the past, but also aspiring towards the future, as the Supreme Council for Women, led by Her Highness, continues to develop its national strategy to upgrade women, with a focus on the areas of innovation, digital economy, political empowerment and enhancing the flexible work environment.
What has been achieved for Bahraini women over these years is the product of the integration of visions between rational leadership and society, and between ambitious policies and active will. Today, as we step about a quarter of a century of giving, the determination is renewed to continue the march, in order to preserve the gains and glorify the achievements. It is good for me on this occasion to raise the highest verses of thanks and gratitude to the supreme position of His Majesty, the first supporter of Bahraini women, for his vision that guaranteed the woman a solid position in national development, and he praised the support of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Prime Minister Sustainable development, and I am proud and proud of His Royal Highness Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who was made by the Supreme Council for Women, a Bahraini, Arab and international success story.
In conclusion, congratulating Bahraini women this support and attention, today she lives in her golden age, and participates effectively in the formulation of the present and the future, so that Bahrain always remains an honorable model in empowering women and enhancing the values of equality and justice.
* Advisor to the Chairman of the Shura Council -Chairman of the Gender Balance Committee. Fawzia Al -Jib
