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The poster displayed on the sidelines of the UN session criticising
Bahrain’s opposition for ignoring women’s rights

Bahraini women’s rights stance rapped

MANAMA, June 17, 2015

Opposition activists and politicians in Bahrain have come under fire for allegedly ignoring the rights of women during a major UN meeting in Geneva.  

Several are taking part in events on the sidelines of the 29th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which opened on Monday (June 15) and lists ‘women’ as one of the key themes, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Critics of the opposition specifically highlighted a lack of support from anti-government groups for a new Family Law for the Shi’ite community, which would protect the rights of women involved in domestic disputes.

A Family Law for Sunni Muslims has been in place in Bahrain since 2009, but Shi’ite political groups led by Al Wefaq National Islamic Society vetoed a similar law for the Shi’ite community based on objections from religious leaders.

Activist and head of the Social Development Ministry’s Dar Al Aman Shelter for Abused Women, Huda Al Mahmood, criticised the silence of groups such as Al Wefaq over the issue.

“This is the biggest flaw of Al Wefaq, which is a finger pointed at the integrity of the society,” she said.

“It is specifically Al Wefaq that objects to the approval of the Jaffari (Shia) law unlike the other opposition groups, since it is controlled by religion – which is misused.

“A judicial system based in Sharia (Islamic) Law is a norm and prevents chaos and disparity that women face from a society that is guided by clerics.

“Women are citizens too and they make up more than half of society, it is high time Al Wefaq realised this.”

Al Wefaq, which was previously represented in parliament and on municipal councils, has never fielded a female candidate for election.

Women’s rights campaigner and former Shura Council member Dr Ayesha Mubarak urged Shi’ite women to take the initiative and push for a change in the law, with or without support from established groups.

“Al Wefaq must make their stance clear,” she said.

“But I feel it is ultimately up to women to fight for their rights.

“The longer they remain silent, the more they will be snubbed.”

On the sidelines of the meeting in Geneva representatives of the Bahrain Human Rights Group, Gulf European Centre for Human Rights and the Arabic Association for Human Rights have displayed posters accusing opposition groups of ignoring women’s rights.

Bahrain Human Rights Group co-ordinator and Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society secretary-general Faisal Fulad, who is in Geneva, said the aim was to expose the opposition’s ‘double standards.’

“Among their (the opposition’s) agenda points for the 21-day session, not one is for women’s rights in Bahrain or for supporting the approval of a Jaffari Family Law,” said Fulad.

“We want to expose this double standard of Al Wefaq to the world.

“They shout about human rights violations, torture, arrests of (Al Wefaq secretary-general) Shaikh Ali Salman and (activist) Nabeel Rajab.

“But why are even women like (activist) Maryam Al Khawaja silent when it comes to the suffering of Shi’ite women?”

The Human Rights Council session will continue until July 3. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | UN | Rights | Women | meet |

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