Bahrain participates in first 2026 regular session of UN Women Executive Board
New York, Feb. 19 (BNA): Her Highness Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, Member of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), participated in her capacity as representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the first meeting of the Executive Board of UN Women during its first regular session for 2026.
Bahrain’s participation comes within the framework of its membership on the Executive Board for the 2026–2028 term, after securing one of the five seats allocated to the Asia-Pacific Group, following election by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
In her address, HH Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa conveyed the greetings of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King and President of the SCW, and expressed appreciation for the strategic role played by UN Women in strengthening integration between national policies and international frameworks to advance women’s empowerment globally. She also expressed pride in representing the Kingdom of Bahrain on the Executive Board for the 2026–2028 term.
Her Highness affirmed that Bahrain’s second membership on the Executive Board following its previous term from 2017 to 2019 reflects international confidence in the Kingdom’s progress and pioneering experiences in supporting women and enhancing their participation in development. She noted that Bahrain will support efforts to enhance the organisation’s policy and strategy development on women’s empowerment and contribute to building more inclusive societies and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, with emphasis on promoting advanced levels of empowerment achieved by the Kingdom in technology and modern sciences.
HH Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa also highlighted the importance of supporting women’s advancement in the workplace, in line with Bahrain’s and the Supreme Council for Women’s strategic efforts to promote equal opportunity values. She noted the Kingdom’s interest in discussions on UN Women’s strategic programmes to ensure optimal use of resources, strengthen efficiency, transparency and accountability, and deliver tangible impact.
Her Highness emphasised the importance of aligning UN Women’s efforts with member states’ priorities and local needs, as well as developing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure impact and sustainability, particularly in economic empowerment and protection of women’s rights within development and peace contexts. She also underscored the importance of multilateral partnerships, including cooperation with UN entities, governments, the private sector and civil society, alongside leveraging innovation and digital solutions to enhance programme delivery and reach vulnerable groups.
HH Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa concluded by reaffirming Bahrain’s commitment to continued cooperation with UN Women and contributing to steering its programmes towards tangible, sustainable outcomes that empower women and girls worldwide and reinforce their role as key partners in achieving comprehensive development.
