United Nations CEDAW/C/BHR/2 Convention on the Elimination Distr.: General of All Forms of Discrimination 12 November 2007 English against Women Original: Arabic Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Combined initial and second periodic reports of States Parties Bahrain* * The present report is being issued without formal editing. 07-60019 (E) 121107 290108 *0760019* CEDAW/C/BHR/2 Contents Page Introduction ............................................................ 8 Part One: Basic Information .............................................. 10 I. Territory and Population ................................................. 10 1. Location and Geography ................................................. 10 2. Population Data ....................................................... 10 3. Social and Economic Indicators ........................................... 11 II. General Political Structure ............................................... 13 Introduction and Overview of the History of Bahrain ............................. 13 1. The NAC ............................................................ 14 2. The Constitution ....................................................... 15 3. Regulation of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Authorities ................. 16 a. The Legislative Branch ............................................ 16 b. The Executive Branch ............................................ 16 c. The Judicial Branch .............................................. 17 III. The General Legal Framework for the Protection of Human Rights ............... 18 1. Means of Legal Protection of Human Rights and Women’s Rights in Bahrain ......... 18 a. The NAC ...................................................... 18 b. The Constitution ................................................ 18 c. International Agreements .......................................... 19 2. Protection of Rights and Freedoms under Bahrain’s Legal System ................. 21 a. Equality of Men and Women Before the Law ........................... 21 b. The Law and Compensation for Damages ............................. 23 c. The Law and the Working Woman ................................... 23 d. The Law and Women’s Exercise of Political Rights ...................... 23 3. The CEDAW’s Legal Status under Bahrain’s Legal System ....................... 24 4. Channels for Seeking Justice .............................................. 24 5. National Authorities Concerned with Protecting Human Rights and Women’s Rights in Bahrain .............................................................. 24 a. The King ...................................................... 25 b. The Legislative Branch ........................................... 25 c. The Constitutional Court and Judiciary ............................... 25 d. Supreme Council for Women ....................................... 26 e. Publication and Consciousness Raising ............................... 28 2 CEDAW/C/BHR/2 Page Part Two: Information Relating to CEDAW Articles ........................... 29 Article 1 - Discrimination Against Women ..................................... 29 I. NAC ................................................................ 29 II. The Constitution ....................................................... 30 III. Legislation .......................................................... 30 IV. The Current Situation and Future Outlook .................................. 31 Article 2 - Undertakings to Eliminate Discrimination ............................. 31 I. Reasons for Bahrain’s Reservation to Article 2 of the CEDAW .................... 32 II. Guarantee of Equality between Women and Men .............................. 33 III. The Actual State of Gender Equality and the Future Outlook .................... 34 Article 3 – Development and Advancement of Women ............................ 34 I. Constitutional and Legal Situation .......................................... 35 II. The Actual Situation and Future Outlook .................................... 35 Article 4 - Acceleration of Equality between Men and Women ...................... 36 I. General View .......................................................... 36 II. Maternity Protection Measures ............................................ 38 Article 5 – Sexual Stereotypes .............................................. 38 I. General View .......................................................... 39 II. Sexual Stereotypes ..................................................... 39 III. The Media’s Role in Eliminating the Gender-Based View of Women .............. 41 IV. Violence against Women ................................................ 42 Article 6 – Suppressing the Exploitation of Women .............................. 45 I. Protection of Women and the Suppression of the Exploitation and Trafficking of Women ..................................................... 45 II. Legislative Protection of Women and the Suppression of the Exploitation and Trafficking of Women ..................................................... 45 III. Current Situation and Future Outlook ...................................... 46 Article 7 - Political and Public Life ........................................... 47 I. Eligibility to Vote ...................................................... 47 1. Participation in Referenda ................................................ 47 2. Participation in Municipal Elections ................................. 47 3. Participation in Parliamentary Elections ............................... 48 II. Public Positions ....................................................... 49 3 CEDAW/C/BHR/2 Page III. Civil Sector (Associations) .............................................. 49 1. Participation in Union Activity ...................................... 49 2. Participation in Professional Activity ................................. 49 IV. Efforts to Date and the Future Outlook ..................................... 50 Article 8 – Representation and Participation of Women at the International Level ....... 51 I. Representation of Women at the International Level ............................ 51 II. Women’s Participating in International Conferences and Meetings ................. 51 Article 9 – Nationality .................................................... 52 I. Gender Equality regarding Naturalization .................................... 52 II. Travel Documents ..................................................... 53 III. Bahrain’s Reservation to Article 9(2) of the CEDAW .......................... 53 IV. Efforts to Date and the Future Outlook ..................................... 54 Article 10 – Education .................................................... 54 I. Overview of the Educational Situation of Women .............................. 55 II. Women’s Right to Education under the NAC and Bahraini Constitution ............. 58 III. Percentage of Adults Able to Read and Write ................................ 59 IV. Illiteracy Eradication and Adult Education .................................. 59 V. Rates of Enrolment in Different Educational Levels in Bahrain ................... 60 VI. Percentage of Bahraini Females who Register for and Graduate from Bahraini Higher Education ................................................. 62 VII. Opportunities for Obtaining Graduate Degrees .............................. 64 VIII. Gender Equality regarding Academic Curricula, Tests, Scholarships, and Foreign Study Missions ................................................... 65 1. Academic Curricula .............................................. 65 2. Tests .......................................................... 66 3. Mixing ........................................................ 66 4. Scholarships and Study Abroad ..................................... 66 IX. Equal Participation in Sports Activities ..................................... 67 X. Efforts to Date and the Future Outlook ...................................... 68 4 CEDAW/C/BHR/2 Page Article 11 – Employment .................................................. 69 I. The Employment of Bahraini Women under the Constitution, Legislation, and the NAC . 70 1. The Right to Work and Equality with Men in Various Fields ............... 70 2. The Right to the Same Employment Opportunities ....................... 71 3. Employment Posts Open to Bahraini Women ........................... 71 II. Women and the Judiciary ................................................ 71 III. The Right to Choose One’s Profession and Employment ........................ 71 IV. Women and Occupational Apprenticeships .................................. 72 V. The Right to Equal Remuneration and Benefits ............................... 73 VI. Right to Social Insurance ............................................... 73 VII. Protective Measures for Bahraini Working Women ........................... 74 1. Prohibition on the Employment of Women in Dangerous Jobs in the Private Sector 74 2. Prohibition on the Employment of Women at Night ...................... 75 3. Prohibition on Dismissal from Service Due to Pregnancy or Maternity ....... 75 4. The Right of a Working Woman to Complain about an Administrative Decision 76 VIII. Reconciliation of Women’s Duties Toward the Family With Their Work Responsibilities and Participation in Public Life ................................