Kingdom of Bahrain Portal for Sustainable Development Goals

Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls

SDG 5 focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls by ensuring equal opportunities and promoting their active participation across all spheres of society. Guided by the royal directives and the strategic leadership of the Supreme Council for Women, the Kingdom of Bahrain remains firmly committed to advancing Bahraini women and strengthening their role as essential partners in comprehensive national development. The Kingdom continues to advance policies and initiatives that promote gender balance and equal opportunity, while expanding women’s participation in the workforce, leadership positions, and decision-making roles, thereby strengthening their contributions to sustainable economic and social development.

Examples of National Initiatives Supporting the Achievement of this Goal

The National Gender Balance Model to Promote Equality and Equal Opportunities

The Kingdom of Bahrain continues to advance equal opportunities and integrate women’s needs into national development efforts through the National Gender Balance Model, adopted by the Supreme Council for Women. The model is built around five key pillars: policies, gender-responsive budgeting, awareness and training, auditing and oversight, and monitoring and evaluation. It provides an institutional framework for incorporating these principles into government plans and programmes, including the Government Plan and the State General Budget, while monitoring their implementation and assessing their impact. These efforts contribute to strengthening the effectiveness of national initiatives aimed at achieving gender balance.

The National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women

The Kingdom of Bahrain continues to strengthen women’s role in development through the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women (2025–2026), approved by the Supreme Council for Women under the leadership of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women. The Plan focuses on enhancing women’s economic participation, expanding their representation in leadership and decision-making positions, promoting family stability and quality of life, and increasing their participation in emerging sectors, particularly science, technology, and innovation. These priorities are supported by targeted initiatives and measurable indicators to monitor progress, sustain the achievements of Bahraini women, and strengthen their contributions across various fields.

Advancing Women’s Leadership and Economic Participation

Bahrain continues to strengthen women’s economic participation and leadership through national programs focused on training, professional development, and entrepreneurship. In 2024, the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) launched the Women’s Executive Leadership Development Programme in collaboration with international institutions, including HEC Paris, to develop Bahraini women’s leadership skills and enhance their representation in executive positions. Tamkeen’s programs have also trained more than 92,600 women and supported over 7,100 female entrepreneurs, contributing to greater economic participation and women’s advancement across various sectors.