Manama, Nov. 23. (BNA) – Bahrain has had an outstanding role in leading political and democratic reforms in the Arab world and in empowering women politically, economically and socially, the head of the delegation to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Days in Sweden has said.

“When we refer to Bahrain, we are talking about a country that has, thanks to the reforms launched by HM King Hamad, been witnessing high levels of freedom of expression and opinion,” Maysa Al Thawadi, the acting director of Media Follow-up at the Information Affairs Authority (IAA), said. “Bahrain boasts a high level of media openness, cultural and intellectual pluralism, and respect of citizenship rights without any form of discrimination based on religion, sect, gender, language or origin. These attributes are enshrined in the country’s constitution and laws,” she said in remarks to the Swedish news site “Arabnyheter”.

Reforms in Bahrain have been taking place since the plebiscite on the National Action Charter in 2001, she said.

“There have been regular and constant consultations and successful coordination between the legislative and executive branches, as well as the implementation of most of the recommendations set forth by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the first rounds of the National Dialogue on rights, economic and social issues. The amelioration of the performance of the security agencies, the application of the police code of conduct, the establishment of a commission for the rights of prisoners and detainees, the launch of the first Ombudsman in the Gulf and Arab world, the consolidation of the freedom and independence of the media and the enhancement of the justice system are examples of some of the reforms we have been enjoying in the Kingdom,” she said in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

Al Thawadi said that the uniqueness of the Bahraini reforms is that it offered outstanding constitutional and legal opportunities to all political forces.

“All political forces and societies, including those in the opposition, have legal and constitutional channels to express their views and make their demands. They can turn them into legal texts and monitor the performance of the government through their representatives at the parliament. People can also set up civil society organisations. The right to peaceful rallies and demonstrations is guaranteed by the constitution and the law, but without inciting to sectarianism, hatred, violence or terrorism,” she said.

The participation of all political societies in the parliamentary elections of 2014 will reinforce the patriotic drive towards the higher interests of the nation and to rise above sectarian, ideological or narrow-minded considerations.

“It will definitely consolidate security and stability in the country and give a greater boost to political reforms and to vibrant developments in the human rights area,” she said.
Al Thawadi, who has been working in the media sector for 17 years, said that Bahraini women have been “principal partners in drawing up and implementing plans and programmes for a comprehensive development of the country.”

“Bahraini women have had a pivotal role in the nation-building process thanks to their full political and economic rights enshrined in the constitution and in laws that promote and defend equality and equal opportunities in line with international standards and criteria. We value highly the efforts of the Supreme Council for Women, under the leadership of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, to elevate the status of Bahraini women and to empower them politically, economically and socially,” she said.

Bahraini women have had wonderful success stories that could inspire and guide generations, she said.
“We have three women ministers, one undersecretary, 12 assistant undersecretaries, 17 judges, three ambassadors, scores of teachers, journalists, doctors, pilots Women make up more than 35 per cent of the country’s employment force and more than 47 per cent in the public sector. Bahrain has 24 women’s societies. There is an official strategy within the information sector to support and promote women working in the media feld. Constitutionally, women have the right to run and vote in parliamentary and municipal elections and their latest achievement in the area is the 15 women who are Members of Parliament, in both chambers, representing 19 per cent of the total members,” she said.

“At the international level, Bahraini and Gulf women have often shown their aptitudes and leadership, thus responding in their confident way to baseless allegations that women in the Gulf had no rights. We all remember how Shaikh Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa became in 2006 the first Arab and Muslim woman and the third woman in the world to be elected president of the United Nations General Assembly.

Al Thawadi said that the annual GCC Days aboard were a great opportunity to highlight achievements in the Gulf, explain the reality on the ground in the GCC countries, focus on the Gulf culture and heritage and emphasise investment and business opportunities.

“It is also a great opportunity to exchange views and ideas with other communities and consolidate the much-needed dialogue and cooperation with other people and countries based on the values of mutual respect and common understanding,” she said.

The GCC Days had been held in Paris in 2004, Brussels in 2005, Berlin in 2006, The Hague in 2007, Madrid in 2009, London in 2010 and Seoul in 2011.

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BNA 1118 GMT 2013/11/23