The Social Development Minister, Dr. Fatima Al-Balushi, who was speaking at the opening of the 2nd National Conference on Bahraini women, highlighted the fact that the society bears responsibility to provide a cultural ground that offers opportunities for men and women to assume leadership positions in accordance with the standards of competence and professional commitment.
She affirmed the National Action Charter and the Constitution of Kingdom of Bahrain have guaranteed the right of work for every citizen and have provided women with educational and training opportunities in various fields to enable them to participate in the development process.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of HM the king, President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), on Wednesday at the Sofitel Hotel, patronized the 2nd National Conference for Bahraini women titled ‘the Integration of Women’s needs in development: review and evaluation’.
The Conference is organized by the Supreme Council for Women, in cooperation with the Bahrain Women Union and the Cooperation Committee between the SCW and women’s associations and committees.
The SCW’s Secretary-General, Hala Al-Ansari, stressed that the notion integrating women’s needs in the plans and policies is a major mechanism for the empowerment of women and it broadens their participation in the development, emphasizing the importance of local and international practices that support principle of equal opportunities and integration of women’s needs.
Al-Ansari explained that principles of justice and equal opportunities are realized through the adoption of legislative and executive measures and reviewing the national strategies to ensure the integration of women’s needs and the provision of supportive services in work environment to enable women to harmonize efforts between work and family duties, in addition to activate the principle of equal opportunities in the government sector to ensure the integration of women as a competitive partner, as well as to develop motivating systems that support equal opportunities in government and civil society institutions as well as in the private sector.
Shura Council member, Dalal Al-Zayed, commended the role of the legislative branch in the application of the national model for the integration of women’s needs in development, explaining the Bahraini women have proven their qualities and competitive skills as well as their contribution to community development through their active participations in national, regional and international fields.
Founder and Managing Director of Mini-Max Business Consultants, Dr. Mohammed Saleh Kameshki, who represented the private sector, underlined the experiences of the developed countries, which have proven that women are able to take on work responsibilities and to effectively contribute to economic development, stressing the need to meet the challenges and obstacles faced by women.
Chairperson of the Bahraini Society for Strategic Planning, Dr. Hala Badir Slaibeekh, talked about the role of civil society institutions, in the field of community development, as a key partner with the government and the private sector in development, confirming the government has reflected this concept in a number of joint ventures with institutions of civil society, hailing the SCW’s recognition for this concept through organizing a national plan for the empowerment of Bahraini women.
First Advisor of UN Women Offices in the Arab States, Dr. Shirin Jaber Shukri, talked about the international views in the course of implementing the national model for the integration of women’s needs, affirming the Bahraini women’s effective role as competitive partners in political, economic and social areas.
The final session reviewed the mechanisms of the development of the national model for the integration of the needs of women and men and to promote it regionally and internationally.