# Congratulations! Women of Bahrain

Akram Miknas If someone wants to know the level of growth and advancement Bahraini women have achieved, he should know that eight female MPs have secured seats in the House of Representatives. This represents 20% of all MPs. In addition, the Shura Council appointed 10 female members, making up 25% of the total number of members, and the most recent cabinet shuffle added a fifth female minister, bringing the total to five female ministers amongst 23 in the administration. The Kingdom of Bahrain has the right to brag about these accomplishments, which show that Bahraini women are living their golden years. This is thanks to His Majesty the King, may God protect him, and his belief, since assuming power, in the importance of mobilizing women's capabilities and including them in the process of progress and national prosperity. In addition to the support given to Bahraini women by the renowned administration, led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Bahraini women are encouraged to advance to positions of power. Bahrain can be proud of its First Lady, Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the King's wife and President of the Supreme Council for Women. Through the Supreme Council for Women Foundation and the quality programs and initiatives it launches, Her Highness has demonstrated a great ability to achieve His Majesty the King's vision and aspirations. These initiatives have made the Kingdom of Bahrain a global model in the field of advancing the capabilities of its women. I say this based on my decades of experience and knowledge of the vital and decisive role that women play in the renaissance and civilization of nations, a role that starts with the formation of a strong family. The woman serves as the foundation for all future development plans. When she is reformed, society follows suit, which in turn launches the nation into an era of greater security, stability, and prosperity. With the experience and knowledge, I gained from my mother as a young child, I recognized that the goodness of women and their mental, intellectual, and cultural independence enable them to build families that are beneficial to the growth and advancement of society. I am extremely proud of my sisters, Baria and Amal, and their daughters, including the well-known international lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney. And I am proud of my wife and children, who are earning success after success in a variety of professions, as well as other women in my family and work environment. I am also proud of the fact that women have been my partners, collaborators, and administrators in all my professional triumphs, and I always make sure to consider their perspectives when making choices. In a previous article, I noted that since I moved to Bahrain in the 1970s of the previous century, I have observed trailblazing Bahraini women in industries including commerce, tourism, hospitality, and aviation as well as in the fields of education, health, and business. There is little question that without the support of their families and their determination to study, particularly at the university level, these women would not have attained their status, positions, and accomplishments.