Sustainable Development Ministry, SCW discuss progress made in advancing, empowering Bahraini women
Manama, Mar. 1 (BNA): The Sustainable Development Ministry held, in partnership with in the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), a dialogue session on the progress made in empowering and advancing Bahraini women from the perspective of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Attended by several SCW members, heads of equal opportunities committees, a number of civil society organisations and international experts, the meeting is part of the Sustainable Development Ministry's preparations for the kingdom's Second Voluntary Review for the Sustainable Development Goals (2023).
SCW Secretary-General, Hala Mohammed Al-Ansari, gave a detailed explanation about the SCW's efforts to follow up on the development agenda, especially the SDG 17, and the methodology for adapting the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women to SDGs.
This is what the SCW seeks to reflect in Bahrain's second Voluntary National Review for SDGs, based on the sustainable institutional work carried out by the Council as a national house of expertise in everything related to women's affairs, she said.
Al-Ansari also highlighted the upcoming trends in terms of achieving equal opportunities in light of the post-pandemic global transformations, and the reflection of national efforts on international reports related to women such as the "Women, Business and the Law", the "Global Gender Gap", and the "Women, Peace and Security".
She indicated that the SCW seeks to sustain implementation in a way that supports the advancement of women and keeps pace with national, regional and global developments, in addition to the development of self-responsibility and the institutional culture of the partners in adopting the elements of the National Plan within their work programmes, ensuring the application of equal opportunities to achieve gender balance, and the stability of development processes and sustainable development plans, as well as building qualitative expertise and knowledge that would reflect on planning, future outlook, implementation follow-up, flexibility, transparency and comprehensive management of risks and challenges.
In this regard, Sustainable Development Minister, Noor bint Ali Al-Khulaif, affirmed that Bahrain's second Voluntary National Review for SDGs, which will be presented during the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), to be organised by the United Nations in July 2023, will provide an opportunity to highlight the Kingdom's efforts in the field of empowering women and enhancing their role, in light of the comprehensive development march of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the continuous follow-up by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
She highlighted the kingdom's interest in taking all measures to ensure the empowerment and inclusion of women, within the framework of the implementation of its the sustainable development strategy, which is confirmed by the adoption of a number of amendments to legislation and laws that contribute to completing the legislative system to achieve gender balance and equality.
This reflects the Kingdom's keenness to provide a suitable environment for women's empowerment, as a fundamental pillar in the sustainable development process, she said, citing the launch of the "Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women's Empowerment", which proves Bahrain's belief in the necessity of highlighting and appreciating individual efforts, initiatives, projects and achievements aimed at integrating women's needs and empowering them in a way that contributes to bringing about positive change in society and achieving sustainable community development.
