Progress Amid Resistance

BAHRAIN 75Meanwhile, the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society has provided womenwith training opportunities in cooperation with other entities, such as thegovernment and the UNDP. Although women represent a significantportion of the workforce and are members of the General Federation ofBahraini Trade Unions, women’s issues are not on the federation’s agendato any substantial degree. 47 Despite the continuing existence of culturalbarriers, concrete advances have been made in upholding women’s economicrights in recent years. 48RecommendationsF The government, in cooperation with local NGOs, should create specialprograms to encourage women to study subjects in which theyare currently underrepresented. For example, they could initiate publiccampaigns that highlight female engineers and scientists, create publicprivatepartnerships that bring highly accomplished women to classroomsto act as role models, or create girls’ science clubs.F The working hours of nurseries should be expanded to fully accommodateemployed women, and the government should provide incentivesfor public and private companies to maintain on-site childcare.F The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions should make genderdiscrimination in the workplace one of its main issues.F The government should scrutinize inheritance proceedings to ensurethat women receive their share, provide efficient mechanisms for filingand adjudicating complaints, and publicize penalties for deliberateabuses by executors and guardians.POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIC VOICEIn 2002, Bahrain became the first GCC member to grant universal women’ssuffrage. Chapter 1, section 2(1) of the National Action Charter providesequal rights and opportunities for all citizens of Bahrain. 49 Furthermore,Article 1(e) of the constitution states, “all citizens, both men and women,are entitled to vote and to stand for election, in accordance with this constitutionand in the conditions and principles laid down by law. No citizencan be deprived of the right to vote or to nominate oneself for electionsexcept by law.” In spite of these broad reforms, women have remainedunderrepresented in the legislature, the government, the judicial system,and political parties.