Dr. Al-'Awadi: We Support Ban Ki Moon’s Campaign to Combat Violence
against Women
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the General Director
of the Supreme Council for Women, Lulwa Salih Al-'Awadi, affirmed
Bahrain’s support of the UN Secretary General’s campaign to intensify
measures and to put an end to all forms of violence against women.
According to Al-'Awadi, this can be achieved through the organization
of several activities which aim to spread a culture that combats
 |
| Lulwa Salih Al-'Awadi |
violence against women, and called on all official and civil Bahraini
institutions to support this cause. Awadi said that violence against
women in Bahrain comes mainly from within the family and one of
its main reasons is marriage disputes and followed by procedural
constraints, which necessitate the need to develop an integrated
system for the provision of legal and judicial assistance to women.
She stated that the Supreme Council for Women has recommended the
amendment of the Sharia (Islamic) Procedures Law in order to establish
urgent courts, and also the Law of Evidence in civil and commercial
areas in order to facilitate the proof of women's financial contribution.
The Council has also suggested a number of measures including the
establishment of a Fund to maintain women (Nafaqa); the allocation
of family courts to execute court decisions on family matters; the
criminalization of neglecting children and failure to support children.
This in addition to the preparation of a model marriage document
which guarantees the rights of both men and women, providing legal
aid to all women in need. Finally, the Council has recommended the
adoption of family laws as well as devising a manual indicating
women's rights and obligations under the Sharia' and how to use
these rights before the Sharia' Courts.
|
