b. Expedite the creation of a medical inventory control system and consumption rates in order to avoid shortages or unavailability of medicines in various pharmacies, especially the ones related to women. c. Pay more attention to the development of health services provided to elderly and disabled women, particularly those with chronic diseases, autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome, by increasing the number of diagnosis and rehabilitation specialists and readying hospitals and health centers logistically and technically to be able to meet their needs. 6 6.1 Marriage, family relations, and the economic consequences of divorce The NIHR appreciates the promulgation of Law No. (19) of 2017 issuing the Family Law, and concurs with the legislative policy pursued by Bahrain regarding the gradual raising of the age of marriage to (18) years - although the provisions of Law No. (19) of 2017 issuing the Family Law and the relevant ministerial decisions have set the age of marriage at (16) years12for both male and female - which will, in the coming years, lead to a decrease in the number of marriages of those under the age of 18 years, noting that currently, the average age of marriage for females is (24) years according to CEDAW’s Fourth Periodic Report of the Kingdom of Bahrain.13 6.2 Regarding the observation of the CEDAW Committee on the list of issues and questions calling for repealing the legal provisions related to differential treatment between Sunni and Ja’afari women with regard to marriage, divorce and custody. The NIHR believes that although Law No. (19) of 2017 issuing the Family Law is mostly broad and inclusive and applies to family status issues of the two honorable sects (Sunni and Ja`afari) included in its scope as its provisions are general and are rooted in the provisions of Islamic Sharia, the presence of a number of exclusive provisions that apply to Sunni women and do not apply to Ja`afari women, or vice versa, is a natural and sound condition that existed to take into account the specificity of both sects and not to discriminate between them, and most importantly, is the fact that the 12 Decision of the Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments No. (1) of 2016 regarding the list of legal marriage officers and the provisions for authenticating and registering documents related to personal status (http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/Media/LegalPDF/RJIW0116.pdf), amended by Resolution No. (48) of 2016 (http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/Media/LegalPDF/RJIW4816.pdf), specifically Article No. (12) thereof: Website of the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission: http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh 13 The fourth periodic report of the Kingdom of Bahrain, pursuant to Article (18) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Document No. (CEDAW/C/BHR/4), Paragraph No. (201): https://undocs.org/ar/CEDAW/C/BHR/4 14