The Supreme Council for Women has issued a report marking the International Women’s Day.
The report highlights the progress made by Bahraini women in terms of economic participation during the past decade of the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women (2013-2022).
It’s part of the Council’s work with specialised partners to finalise the implementation of a ten-year assessment programme and action plan for the next phase to ensure the sustainability of family stability and cohesion and provide equal opportunities to achieve gender balance and raise the level of women’s participation in national development.
Indicators showed that the percentage of Bahraini women’s presence in the public sector reached 53pc last year, a 6pc –increase compared with 2012, and 35pc in the private sector representing a 5pc-increase. The average wage for a female worker in the public sector was BD 827 last year, compared to BD603 for a female worker in the private sector.
Bahraini women’s participation represented 43pc of the total workforce last year compared to 32pc in 2012. The number of female owners of active commercial registers represented 41pc in the third quarter of 2021 compared to 39pc in 2012.
The number of beneficiaries of the Portfolio of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa to Support Women’s Commercial Activity which provides micro-loans reached 6,177 (during the period 2010- 2021). The amount of loans granted to beneficiaries was BD7,325,625 BD during the same time period.
This is in addition to the Bahraini women’s development portfolio for commercial activity “Riyadat” targeting small and medium sized enterprises, amounting to $100 million (BD37,770,00), managed by Bahrain Development Bank, with the support of the Labour Fund “Tamkeen”. The number of female beneficiaries of the “Riyadat” portfolio during the period (2016-2021) reached 294 women, who received a total financing of BD6,974,754.
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