Bahraini women still discriminated against

This video is called Al-Khalifah’s Bahrain: shooting and torturing women and children.

In the absolute monarchy Bahrain, ruled by the Al-Khalifah dynasty, there is a “parliament”. Boycotted by the oppositional majority parties, as it cannot stop governmental repression of people’s pro-democracy movements, and is basically a puppet parliament.

From the (pro regime) Gulf Daily News:

MPs oppose lifting rights reservations

By MOHAMMED AL A’ALI , Posted on Wednesday, November 13, 2013

BAHRAIN‘s parliament has voted against the full rollout of a United Nations convention that protects women’s rights, after it was claimed it could have “dangerous repercussions” for society.

MPs unanimously approved an urgent proposal yesterday to stop the Cabinet lifting reservations that were included when the country acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2002.

All 35 MPs present voted against lifting the reservations, including female members Ebtisam Hijris, Sawsan Taqawi and Dr Somaya Al Jowder.

At the time Bahrain listed reservations on granting women equal rights with respect to passing on their nationality to their children, as well as gender equality when it came to people’s freedom to move and choose their home.

The country also stated one of the convention’s articles, which called for measures to eliminate discrimination against women in matters relating to marriage and family relations, was “incompatible with the provisions of the Islamic Sharia”.

A reservation was also stated against an article calling on countries to condemn discrimination against women and adopt a policy to eliminate discrimination “in order to ensure its implementation within the bounds of the provisions of the Islamic Sharia”.

Finally, Bahrain included a reservation against an article stating disputes between countries over interpretation of the convention could be settled by arbitration.

The Cabinet two weeks ago agreed to look into lifting all of the above reservations, based on a request by the Supreme Council for Women.

However, MPs opposed the move claiming this could have a detrimental effect.

Bahraini women make up around 83 per cent of the country’s unemployed, according to new statistics presented by the labour minister: here.

Washington, D.C. – In a new report detailing steps the United States should take to support Bahrain’s transition to democracy and the rule of law, Human Rights First is urging the Obama Administration to overhaul its diplomatic approach in the Kingdom. From withholding arms transfers to Bahrain military and police forces to stronger engagement with human rights defenders, the organization’s recommendations come as simmering tensions in Bahrain raise fundamental questions about how best to protect U.S. military interests in the region: here. See also here.

A Bahraini court sentenced a Saudi man to six months in jail after he was caught swimming illegally into the country, newspapers reported on Wednesday: here.

Three housemaids committed suicide by hanging themselves at their employers’ houses in the Saudi capital Riyadh in less than a week: here.