Women's and Children's Sector

The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to enriching its journey by enhancing the women's and children's sector. During the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, various efforts have been made at the level of laws, policies, and developmental programs aimed at protecting the rights of women and children.

In this sector, the Supreme Council for Women was established in 2001, chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women. The council works to promote the advancement of Bahraini women and engage them in all developmental programs while ensuring the preservation of cohesive family ties based on the principle of equal opportunities.

In 2004, the Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award for the Empowerment of Bahraini Women was launched, awarded every two years to ministries and public and private institutions that excel in supporting the advancement of working Bahraini women. The award also encourages UN member states to dedicate more efforts to empowering women, providing an opportunity to celebrate the Kingdom and its institutions and individuals for their achievements in this field on a global scale.

Alongside women's rights, children's rights, care, and protection are among the top priorities of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Child Protection Center was established in 2007 as a social care institution aimed at protecting children up to the age of 18 from all forms of abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse, psychological harm, and severe neglect.

In 2009, the Family Law was issued, which codifies the Sharia rules governing the relationships between individuals due to marriage and divorce, outlining the rights and obligations arising from them, including kinship, guardianship, and custody, within a framework that ensures justice for litigants by subjecting them all to identical legal rules without discrimination, in accordance with Islamic law. In 2012, the Child Law was enacted, which strengthened the guarantees protecting children's rights.

Under the gracious patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the esteemed spouse of the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women, the Bahraini Women's Development Centre (Riyadat) was inaugurated in the Alali region in 2013. The centre aims to attract women to private entrepreneurship and empower them economically, alongside providing sustainable developmental projects for women in the community, encouraging them to take on responsibilities that support economic and social development.

In 2018, Her Highness inaugurated the independent headquarters for family courts, marking a national achievement added to the record of accomplishments aimed at enhancing family stability in the Kingdom, contributing to the overall stability of society. The facility includes courtrooms, a family reconciliation office, and alimony fund services.

In 2021, the Law on Reformative Justice for Children and Protection from Abuse was issued, representing a significant development in the reformative system for children. It aims to achieve reformative justice for children, caring for and protecting them from abuse, prioritising the best interests of the child in all rulings, decisions, and procedures related to them, regardless of the issuing or executing authority. The law introduces additional and alternative reformative measures that meet the needs of children for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society, fostering a supportive environment for childcare and contributing to their behavioral improvement and social reintegration through shared responsibility with the family.

All these efforts have resulted in an increase in the percentage of Bahraini women graduating from higher education institutions from 57% in 2010 to 63% in 2021, with 30 Bahraini women obtaining seats in the parliamentary and municipal councils. Additionally, the infant mortality rate has decreased to 6.2% per 1,000 live births, down from 7.7% in 2010 and 6.2% in 2019. The Kingdom also has five specialized centers for child protection that provide comprehensive support for safeguarding children's rights.