by Decree-Law No. (46) of 2002 and its amendments establishes a moratorium on the execution of
the death penalty for women, as Article (334) of the same Law suspends the execution of the death
penalty against a pregnant woman except three months after she gives birth. This provision is in
compliance with Paragraph (5) of Article (6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, which states that “Sentence of death shall not be imposed for crimes committed by
persons below eighteen years of age and shall not be carried out on pregnant women”.
26. Regarding the right of women to participate in political life, and in line with the provisions of
Paragraph (e) of Article (1) in of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain granting women the
right to participate in public affairs, Decree Law No. (14) of 2002 on Exercising Political Rights
was promulgated. Article (1) stipulates that: “Citizens, both men and women, shall enjoy the
following political rights: 1. To state an opinion in every referendum conducted in accordance
with the provisions of the Constitution; 2. To elect members of the Representatives Council.”
27. In practice, during the parliamentary and municipal elections since its beginning subsequent to the
pioneer reform project of His Majesty the King, may God preserve him and protect him, women
succeeded in winning in the elections of the Representatives Council and the Municipal Councils, in
addition to appointing a number of women in the Shura Council. The Royal Order No. (59) of 2014
set the rules for the appointment of Shura Council Members so as women are properly represented.
Moreover, in the area of empowering women in the executive branch as a decision maker, Bahraini
women have held the position of minister in the government several times. At the judiciary level,
a number of women judges and members of the public prosecutions have been appointed, as well
as the assumption of the membership of the Higher Council of the Judiciary and the Constitutional
Court.
28.
On the economic, social, and cultural rights level, the right of Bahraini women to enjoy an
adequate standard of living in terms of access to housing services was regulated pursuant to the
Ministerial Decision No. (12) of 2004 of the Minister of Labour and Housing regarding the right
of Bahraini women to benefit from the housing services. The Decision included provisions that
entitle the working Bahraini women or those having a fixed monthly income and are responsible
for someone’s support and do not own any property, the right to benefit from one of the housing
services established under the Housing Law and the decisions issued in implementation thereof.
The same Decision also grants the divorced women having permanent custody over their children
pursuant to a court order or an agreement, and do not own, independently, a private residence, the
right to apply for a housing service. This Decision was follow by the Ministerial Decision No. (909)
of 2015 of the Minister of Housing on Housing By-law, according to which divorced, abandoned,
widowed women without children, or unmarried orphan women have the right to temporary
housing only at the discretion of the Housing Committee.
29. On the other hand, the Government has paid close attention to improve the living standards
of women by granting the married female employee a social allowance similar to that of male
employees, by virtue of the Cabinet Decision No. (77) of 2013 approving the regulation determining
salaries, benefits, and allowances, and rules of entitlement for the employees subject to the Civil
Service Law.
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