About the Supreme Council of Women

The Supreme Council for Women (SCW) was established on the 22nd of August 2001 upon Emiri Order No. 44 in 2001 which was amended by Emiri Orders No. 55 in 2001, No. 2 in 2002 and the Royal Decree No. 36 in 2004.

The establishment of the Council is one of the important milestones since the launch of the comprehensive development process, which translates His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s insights, democratic approach, and ambitious aspirations to advance Bahrain’s profile and to strengthen the status of Bahraini women and support them towards progress at all levels. The establishment of the Supreme Council for Women is considered a significant achievement in the field of women's work, building on the accumulation of national experience in the field and in women’s civic activity for more than sixty years.

As per the order of its establishment, the Council has been stipulated as a national women’s machinery, headed by Her Royal Highness, Wife of His Majesty the King of Bahrain, and works as an advisory body to all official institutions. The Council directly reports to His Majesty the King, which gives the Council significant influence and wide responsibilities to monitor the progress of Bahraini women and safeguards their rights by applying the principle of equal opportunities and achieving gender balance nationally.

Vision

Women, Capable partners in building and developing the State

Our Mission

We will work to nurture women by protecting, leveraging and raising awareness of their rights, as well as ensuring their well-being in both health and environment. We will work to enhance their capabilities through knowledge and skills to make them qualified contributors in building the family, the society, and the State. Our aspiration is for women to contribute as effective decision makers in the development of the State. This will culminate in shaping women as qualified and capable partners in building the nation. We will reach out to women to address their issues and those conditions that are of concern to them. We will work closely with the government and the civil society, who are looking towards the prosperity of our kingdom, to plan, execute, monitor, and assess all initiatives that will lead us to achieve our goals.

Council specialties

01 Public Policy

Proposing public policy aiming towards the development of women's affairs in the constitutional and civil society institutions.

02 Women empowerment

Enabling women to perform their role in public life and mainstream their efforts into comprehensive national development programs with no discrimination against them.

03 National Plan for the Advancement of Women

Drawing up a National Plan for the advancement of Bahraini women and solving the problems they face in various fields.

04 National Action Charter and the Constitution

Implementing the principles defined by the National Action Charter and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain relating to the status of women; and developing the necessary mechanisms in collaboration with ministries, official institutions, and civil society organizations

05 Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of public policies related to women and proposing amendments to the concerned authorities

06 Proposals and Recommendations

Presenting proposals to amend existing legislation related to women, and expressing an opinion on draft laws, regulations, and decisions in this regard prior to their submission to the relevant authority. The Supreme Council for Women also recommends and proposes draft laws and decisions required to enhance the status of women.

07 international conventions

Monitoring the implementation of laws, resolutions, and international conventions related to the status of women to ensure their sound application to achieve gender balance and non-discrimination against women , in addition to monitoring the implementation of programs related to women adopted within government plans.

08 Official participations

Participating in official bodies and committees formed by the government that directly or indirectly address women's issues.

9 Representing Bahraini Women

Representing Bahraini women in national, regional, and international forums and organizations concerned with women's affairs and participating in joint memorandums of understanding and programs.

10 Documentation center

Establishing a documentation center to monitor information and data related to women's affairs and to conduct research and surveys in this field.

11 Conferences and Seminars

Holding conferences, seminars, and round tables to discuss issues related to women.

12 Awareness

Raising society's awareness of the roles, rights, and duties of women through the appropriate mechanisms.

13 Publications

Issuing electronic and printed publications related to the Council's objectives and specializations

14 Incipient topics and duties

Representing Bahraini women in national, regional, and international forums and organizations concerned with women's affairs and participating in joint memorandums of understanding and programs.