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Foreign Minister highlights HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment in Washington
Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended yesterday in Washington the event organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to promote the HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment 2026.
The event was attended by Dr. Sima Sami Bahous, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director and Chair of the Award’s International Jury; Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Washington, embassy staff, and a number of invited guests.
Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid delivered a welcoming address, expressing pride in Bahrain’s significant progress in advancing women’s leadership, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
He also commended the role of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Women, in translating this vision into sustainable policies and initiatives with local, regional, and international impact.
Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, also delivered a speech emphasising that the distinguished attendance, including members of the International Jury, reflects the global prestige of the HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Award and its role in celebrating women’s leadership and inspiring progress worldwide.
The Minister highlighted Bahrain’s longstanding regional leadership in promoting women’s rights and participation, expressing pride in the achievements of Bahraini women who hold senior leadership positions across government, the private sector, and society at large. He noted that the award underscores Bahrain’s commitment to highlighting women’s contributions globally and supporting their advancement and empowerment across all sectors.
In her remarks, Dr. Bahous emphasised UN Women’s commitment to fostering a world in which all women and girls are empowered to lead and excel. She lauded the exemplary role of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim in advancing women’s empowerment both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Bahous emphasised UN Women’s work in partnership with governments to translate international commitments into tangible results, particularly in eliminating violence against women and girls, promoting women’s participation in decision-making, accelerating economic empowerment, and ensuring women’s voices are present in matters of peace, security, and humanitarian response.
She also expressed appreciation for Bahrain’s role as an active member of the Executive Board of UN Women and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2026–2027.
Dr. Bahous highlighted the importance of continued cooperation with Bahrain and other participating countries to advance women’s access to justice, the central theme of the upcoming 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women scheduled for March.
She underscored UN Women’s commitment to working closely with Bahrain and international partners to ensure women and girls are not only participants in development, peace, and security efforts but are also leaders and agents of impact everywhere, every day.
The event concluded with a presentation providing an overview of the award, its objectives, and the application process.