The Legal Status of Women in Bahrain

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maintain a child’s religious beliefs, and guarantee the child's safety. Qadi judges retain the right to remove children from the custody of their mothers if they remarry. However, under Islamic law rulings on custody should always be made in the best interest of the children. The law also permits that the judge call upon experts in psychology and child welfare. 8 8 European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, “The Situation of Women in the Gulf States” (2014), p.82 section 7.2.1.4, source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2014/509985/IPOL_STU(2014)509985_EN.pdf 7
3. Civil Law Under civil law in Bahrain men and women are granted equal status. Women are legally entitled to bring cases to the civil court and access legal aid. 9 Women are entitled to conclude contracts and manage their wealth, and property, under civil law. Civil law also grants women equal access to financial services and allows women to own businesses. Education and Employment Article 7, paragraph A., of the Constitution in Bahrain states that: ‘The State shall patronise the sciences, literature, and the arts, and shall encourage research. It shall be done to ensure educational and cultural services for citizens. Primary and secondary education shall be compulsory and free in accordance with the law. The law shall lay down the necessary plan to eliminate illiteracy.’ 10 Paragraph B., goes on to say that: ‘The law shall regulate the various aspects of religious education and attention shall also be given to the strengthening of the citizen’s personality and pride in his Arab nationality.’ 11 There are also provisions for the establishment of private organisations for the provision of education. Women have equal access to education in Bahrain, there are no laws prohibiting girls from attending school, and a significant number of women enter, and complete, university level education. The state emphasis on combating illiteracy has ensured that there is no percentile difference between the literacy levels of both female and male youth. There is a 100% literacy level for both sexes. The net enrolment ratios for girls and boys in primary school are roughly equal, 97 and 98 percent respectively. In secondary school the net enrolment rate for girls’ is 91%, while that of boys is slightly lower at 87%. 12 It is harder to collect statistics for tertiary education, the UIS global database does not list any recent statistics, however the Supreme Council for Women states that in the year 2013-2014, 22,828 or 60% of individuals in higher education were women. In the same year 60% of those who graduated from government 9 Idem, p.86-87. 10 State of Bahrain, the Constituent Assembly, “Constitution of the State of Bahrain” (1973), art. 7§A, source: http://confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/Bahrain.pdf 11 State of Bahrain, the Constituent Assembly, “Constitution of the State of Bahrain” (1973), art. 7§B, source: http://confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/Bahrain.pdf 12 UNICEF, “Bahrain MENA Gender Equality Profile: Status of Girls and Women in the Middle East and North Africa” (2011), p.3, source: https://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Bahrain-Gender-Eqaulity-Profile-2011.pdf 8
Page 1 and 2: The Legal Status of Women in Bahrai
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Table of Contents
Page 5 and 6: 1. Introduction Women in Bahrain ar
Page 7: Marriage, Divorce, and Child Custod
Page 11 and 12: Criminal Court judge. In 2010 Freed
Page 13 and 14: Tier Criminal Court and sentenced t
Page 15 and 16: ● To take the necessary legislati
Page 17 and 18: has three children, the authorities
Page 19 and 20: Photos of Women Protesting in Bahra
Page 21 and 22: As women become increasingly visibl
Page 23 and 24: ● To prosecute and sentence viole
Page 25 and 26: 9. Organisations Promoting Women’
Page 27: Appendix: Item 1. Bahraini Citizens

The Legal Status of Women in Bahrain

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