Page 4 - 7th BBS Newsletter - En & Ar_with HS Comments and tracked changes (1)

Message from the President

I extend to you my sincere congratulations and good wishes on the occasion of the New Year and the issuance of this seventh
issue of the e-Newsletter. I hope that it will be a year of prosperity, happiness and blessings for our beloved country and for all of
you.

As this new year sets in, Bahraini women continue to move forward with full force in their successful path, crowning their efforts
in the past year with four seats for young women in the recent optimistic cabinet reshuffle, eight seats in the Bahraini parliament
and 3 seats in municipal councils. Two of the society’s members were also appointed to the Shura Council (Consultative Council)
Dr. Ebtisam Al-Dallal and Dr. Fatima Al-Kooheji, in addition to the appointment of BBS member Khulood Al-Qattan as Vice-
Chairman of the Capital Municipality Council. Ms. Afnan Al-Zayani was also appointed as member of the Supreme Council for
Women Committee and Mrs. Batool Dadabhai was as Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board Member. All these
inspiring women appointments or recent winnings reflect a continuous representation in influential decision-making seats at the
legislative and executive levels.
On the occasion of the New Year, and on behalf of all BBS members, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to His
Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime
Minister, Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, President of the
Supreme Council for Women. We also extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Honorary President of the Society, Her
Highness Sheikha Thajba bint Salman Al Khalifa.
Highlighting the status of women in the Bahraini society and their economic role has become neither new nor surprising. Rather,
talking about furthering and advancing their roles in the future has become a preoccupation, especially at the economic level and
at the level of entrepreneurship. What women are currently experiencing at all levels under the wise directives of the leadership
and the wise policies of the Supreme Council for Women have borne fruit and become obvious to all. The achievements included
all aspects of life in the Kingdom, and at the heart of them is the economic sector that witnessed great developments and
achievements for women.
When looking at facts and figures, the presence and role of Bahraini women is emphasized, as the estimated income of women
increased by 91% over the last 10 years, and the rates of women’s participation in various work sectors, including investment in
financial markets, increased with assets amounting to half a billion Bahraini dinars, and the contribution of Bahraini women as
entrepreneurs and businesswomen to the gross national product of the Kingdom of Bahrain increased, as the percentage of
individual records owned by Bahraini women reached more than 47%, and 27% of Small Bahraini enterprises are owned by
Bahraini women, while their ownership of large companies is at 37%.

Women participate in approximately 30.2% of the workforce in the private sector, and 47.2% in the government sector of the
national workforce. Women also represent 29% of entrepreneurs and 17% of the membership of the Board of Directors of the
Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the year 2022.
With great pride, we can clearly witness that Bahrain's economy is moving in the right direction, enhancing its growth and making
maximum use of the improvement in oil revenues targeted by the economic recovery plan. In terms of competitiveness, the
Kingdom of Bahrain topped the Arab countries and the countries of the Middle East and North Africa in the Index of Economic
Freedom in the World 2022 issued by the Fraser Institute, and the Kingdom's performance improved by 17 ranks in the index, to
rank 39 globally out of 165 country.

With the New Year 2023, we look at our Kingdom with pride, and we have all the confidence and optimism in our esteemed
government with its diverse and distinctive young composition, to continue delivering the economic recovery plan at a faster and
stronger pace, for a more prosperous future for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the people of our nation.

Ahlam Janahi
BBS President

Page 4 of 26