United Nations in Bahrain

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. With 21 United Nations Entities represented in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the work of the United Nations encompasses all 17 SDGs.

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Publication

14 April 2022

2021 Country Results Report

In 2021, the United Nations in Bahrain continued to work in a challenging environment brought upon the country, the region, and the whole world by the COVID-19 pandemic. "The pandemic continued to test our resilience and resolve, which, nevertheless, proved to be sound in the face of an unprecedented crisis. Although some of our activities had to be postponed and others had to be redesigned, we managed to move forward with the implementation of most of our projects and initiatives and develop new ones for the future, achieving significant results in the process", said Mohamed El Zarkani, Resident Coordinator in Bahrain a.i. The year was also especially important for the United Nations in Bahrain because it marked the signing of the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2022 with the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The document – the first of its kind in the Gulf region – is the single most important instrument for planning and implementation of the United Nations development activities at the country level. In 2022, the United Nations in Bahrain will build on previous success by continuing with the implementation of the Cooperation Framework in close partnership with the Government of Bahrain, placing a strong emphasis on leaving no one behind in the development process. Visit our 2021 Country Results Report dedicated website.

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Press Release

27 April 2022

Secretary-General appoints Mr Khaled El Mekwad of Egypt as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain

Manama, 27 April 2022 - On April 16, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Khaled El Mekwad of Egypt as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, with the approval of the host government. Mr Khaled El Mekwad has dedicated over 30 years to public service. Prior to this appointment, he served as United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Regional Representative for Southern Africa, covering ten SADC countries. As UNIDO Representative, he was also assigned to Sudan with coverage of Djibouti and Yemen, and Lebanon with coverage of Jordan and Syria. During his 14 years in the UN system, he worked on industrial and socio-economic development, environment, poverty reduction, human rights, and post-war recovery in the Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining the United Nations, he had a 19-year diplomatic career. He served as Alternate Representative at the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in Vienna, Deputy Head of Mission at the Egyptian Embassy in Dakar, and Political Officer at the Egyptian Mission to the European Union in Brussels. During this period, he was involved in bilateral and multilateral affairs, international and regional organizations, and economic and social development in Africa and the Arab regions, with emphasis on South-South and triangular cooperation. In addition, he was a member of the national team in charge of negotiating the Euro-Med Partnership Agreement between Egypt and the European Union, where he was responsible for the chapters on Economic Development and Human Rights. Mr Khaled El Mekwad holds two post-graduate degrees in international relations from the École Nationale d'Administration in Paris and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Cairo University. He is fluent in Arabic, English, and French.

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22 June 2022

King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to achieve the SDGs: A window of hope for dynamic entrepreneurs in Africa

Esther Ajari, a 23-year-old woman from Nigeria in her last year of medical studies, sees herself as an unconventional medical researcher who believes life should not revolve only around medical degrees. "I grew up as the 10th child of a polygamous family of 16 in Oghara, a small community in Delta State in the south-south of the country", she said. "My parents could not afford to buy me menstrual sanitary products. I often had to wear old cloths", she confided. Menstruation can have an effect on adolescent girls dropping out of school. According to UNICEF, 23 per cent of schoolgirls in Nigeria had missed school in the past 12 months because of their period. Today, Esther is invested in combating poverty worldwide and changing the narrative about health, gender equality, and education in Africa. At The TriHealthon, an NGO she founded in 2018, Ajari has overseen, among other projects, a programme that has trained more than 2,500 Nigerian girls and young women to make their own reusable biodegradable menstrual sanitary pads. According to UNFPA, difficulty affording menstrual products can cause girls to stay home from school and work, with lasting consequences on their education and economic opportunities. It can also exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, pushing women and girls closer toward dangerous coping mechanisms. The TriHealthon has also empowered about 2000 nursing mothers and pregnant women in Nigeria on good child feeding and nursing practices, including breastfeeding techniques. In December 2020, Esther Ajari received the King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (KHA). Launched at the Youth Forum of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2017, the prize is jointly implemented in collaboration between Bahrain's Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme. The award recognizes young people’s endeavour to be effective and productive citizens, contributing to the welfare of their communities and environment, as well as institutions that improve the enabling environment and infrastructure for youth to make an impact. As of the 2018 Award Cycle, the King Hamad Award for Youth Empowerment to achieve the SDGs (KHA) includes two main categories; one for youth action, granting 5 Awards, and a second for youth enablers granting 3 Awards. The award has been on the rise ever since, with the number of countries participating increasing from 87 in the 1st edition to 125 in the 3rd edition, while the number of applicants increased from 663 to 4,064. "Winning the award has enabled us to double our impact figures and establish more partnerships. The award has increased national and global recognition of what we have to offer", she said. Sustainable cooking stoves Okey Esse is a self-taught serial social entrepreneur from Nigeria. "I build unrefined ideas from strategies to sustainability", he said. "I inherited and developed a social entrepreneurship spirit from my mother, who also was a successful entrepreneur." In 2018, Okey founded Powerstove Energy, a company that designs, manufactures, and distributes affordable, clean cooking stoves that self-generate electricity. "So many families in Africa still rely on charcoal, firewood and kerosene for their daily cooking needs, but with increasing prices because of urbanization and deforestation, they struggle to afford these cooking means." "We like to think that our products improve the users' livelihoods by combating poverty and indoor air pollution as well as gender-based violence." Okey also supports NGOs that focus on nutrition and food security, gender equality, HIV/AIDS advocacy, and accessible primary healthcare services. "The award helped increase our brand and, most importantly, helped us to acquire a brand-new factory with 25,000 units' monthly capacity. This funding opportunity by King Hamad Award has also opened more doors of funding from internationally recognized NGOs and governments, further deepening our product acceptability in target communities." Dreaming of a sustainable, green Africa Franc Kamugyisha, 27 years, is a multi-passionate social entrepreneur from Uganda. He is the founder & CEO of a climate-tech materials company in Uganda that provides a solution to waste management and affordable housing through incentive-based plastic recycling. "I dream of a sustainable, green Africa, freed from poverty, unemployment and indecent housing", he said. The idea of the company was inspired by Franc's personal experience living in a slum community in Kampala when he first arrived in the city in search of a job. There he witnessed dire consequences of poor waste disposal with post-consumer waste plastic littering everywhere on streets, clogging sewers, and even encroaching on poorly built houses during heavy rains. "With neighbours, I would wait late in the night or very early in the morning to go and dump waste in the nearby drainage channels in the neighbourhood to avoid high costs paid to private companies", he said. According to UN-Habitat, nearly 1 billion people – one in four urban dwellers – live in urban slums and informal settlements. Municipalities in low-income countries spend about 20 per cent of their budgets on waste management on average, yet over 90 per cent of waste in those countries is still openly dumped or burned. Cost-effective means of adapting landfill sites to reduce emissions and improve safety are increasingly applied in Africa. “The King Hamad Award funding has enabled new partnerships, including a micro-financing scheme for 510 waste collectors which has increased plastic waste collected from seven to 30 metric tons per month”, Franc said. “Thanks to the growth fueled by the award, we have increased long-term, stable employment instead of casual wage positions for informal waste pickers, and increased access to healthcare insurance.”

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Press Release

19 September 2022

Op-Ed: Transforming Education Summit – the global moment of truth

As parents, teachers and students got ready for a return to school this autumn, few were thinking of the fact that across the world, education is in deep crisis. This is a slow and often unseen crisis, but its impacts affect us all. At the upcoming UN Summit on Transforming Education, world leaders have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take decisive action. The United Nations and the European Union now call on all member states to deliver much-needed commitments to ensure that all girls and boys can access, enjoy and benefit from a meaningful, modern, high-quality education. Their rights and our collective futures depend on it. Education is the most powerful and transformative tool we have to empower girls and boys with hope, skills and opportunity for their future. It also paves the way for solving many of today’s global challenges. However, in many parts, poverty and inequality still have a major influence over school attendance and learning achievement. And right across the world, education systems are struggling to equip learners with the values, skills and knowledge needed to thrive in our rapidly changing world. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a pre-existing crisis and the global funding gap for education has increased significantly. Even before the pandemic, governments were spending less than half of the needed sum on education. Since then, two in three governments have cut their education budgets while some international donors have announced their intention to reduce aid to education. Collective action on future-oriented learning and education financing is urgent, if we want to recover pandemic-related learning losses and ensure that children and young people everywhere are able to access their right to education as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Investing in education has a transformative impact across the Sustainable Development Goals. It advances gender equality: educated girls are more likely to participate in the decisions that most affect them, to live longer, healthier lives, and to earn higher incomes. It makes a major contribution to national development: every euro spent on education can generate 10–15 euros in economic growth. And by nurturing informed, empowered citizens, it can help countries to tackle major challenges such as climate change, social breakdown, conflict, gender-based violence and more. The European Union is significantly increasing its investment in education in partner countries. The EU will dedicate more than 10% of its international partnerships budget, representing over 6 billion euros, towards global education. Now we need others to do likewise. The UN Secretary-General is calling on all government leaders and all actors, including private sector and civil society, as part of a global mobilisation, to make concrete commitments to increase funding for education, from all sources. At the Transforming Education Summit, the representatives of all countries and partners face a moment of truth: now is the time to collectively fill the investment gap to tackle the global education crisis. Now is the time to invest in learning recovering and help put the SDGs back on track, thereby sowing the seeds for transformation of our education systems, so that education better prepares learners to contribute to a more inclusive, peaceful, sustainable and just future, leaving no one behind.

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22 September 2022

1.5-degree climate pledge ‘on life support’, Guterres tells leaders during frank exchanges

During a private meeting of Heads of State and Government, held on Wednesday at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for more action and leadership to tackle the climate crisis, warning that efforts to keep the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is “on life support”. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the UN chief said that he had talked to leaders about the climate emergency, and the “triple global crisis” of food, energy, and finance. Mr. Guterres told the assembled leaders that the devastation he witnessed this month in Pakistan, where flooding covered around a third of the country at its height, occurred with global warming of 1.2 degrees; the world is currently on track for an overall increase of more than three degrees. The meeting was billed in advance as a “frank and informal exchange” of views between leaders, co-chaired by Mr. Guterres and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, and an opportunity to address key issues ahead of the COP27 UN Climate Change conference, due to be held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh in November. ‘Fossil fuels are killing us’ Since last year’s conference in Glasgow, Scotland, climate impacts have worsened, and carbon emissions have risen to record levels, hitting vulnerable communities the hardest. Four burning issues were addressed during the informal talks: emissions mitigation, climate finance, adaptation, and loss and damage. On mitigation, Mr. Guterres told the leaders that although emissions must be cut almost in half before 2030, they are on track to rise by 14 per cent. He called on the representatives of the world’s leading economies – the G20 nations – to phase out coal, ramp up investment in renewables, and end their “fossil fuel addiction”. “The fossil fuel industry is killing us”, he said, “and leaders are out of step with their people, who are crying out for urgent climate action.” Under the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, developing countries were promised $100 billion per year to finance initiatives to help them cope with the effects of global warming. To date, that target has not been achieved. The UN chief declared that financial commitments to the developing world must be delivered immediately, and in full. “I emphasized the need to double adaptation support to $40 billion dollars a year by 2025” continued Mr. Guterres. “Climate destruction is happening now. People are suffering now”. Looking ahead to COP27, the Secretary-General expressed his hope that the event will move these discussions forward, as a matter of climate justice, international solidarity and trust. Cooperate to bring down prices A G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will take place in Bali in November, during the last days of COP27, and Mr. Guterres urged leaders to take important decisions to tackle the “triple crisis” of food, energy and finance. He urged international cooperation and solidarity to bring down prices that have soared since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, increase support to developing countries, and prevent a larger crisis next year. International financial institutions must also step up and offer debt relief to developing countries, declared Mr. Guterres, and new mechanisms to get resources to countries that need them should be enhanced and expanded.

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13 September 2022

UNGA77: 5 key things to know about the 77th General Assembly session

A Hungarian President takes the gavel A new session means a new President of the General Assembly. The current PGA – as the UN acronym goes - Abdulla Shahid of the Maldives, will bow out, and Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary will take on the mantle for the next twelve months. The handover will take place on Monday, 12 September; Mr. Shahid will close the 76th session of the GA in the morning, and the first plenary of the 77th session takes place on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Kőrösi’s has held several roles within his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his most recent post being Director of Environmental Sustainability at the Office of the President of Hungary. He has been involved with the UN for several years, and the Presidency probably won’t involve too much of a learning curve: Mr. Kőrösi served as Vice-President of the General Assembly during the 67th session in 2011-2012. Transforming Education Summit As usual, international attention (as well as large numbers of police, and complaints about traffic jams from New York residents) will be centred around the High-Level Debate week, which begins on Tuesday 20 September. However, the Transforming Education Summit, which takes place the week before at UN Headquarters – on Friday 16, Saturday 17 and Monday 19 September – is billed as a major event by the organization. Friday is “Mobilization Day”, which will be youth-led and youth-organized, bringing young people’s concerns over their education to decision and policymakers, and will focus on mobilizing the global public, youth, teachers, civil society and others, to support the transformation of education across the world. The second day is all about solutions, and is designed to be a platform for initiatives that will contribute to transforming education. The day is grouped around five themes (“Thematic Action Tracks”): inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy schools; learning and skills for life; work and sustainable development; teachers, teaching and the teaching profession; digital learning and transformation; and financing of education. The third day, on Monday 19 September, is Leaders Day, capitalizing on the fact that so many Heads of State and Government will be descending on New York that week. Expect a host of National Statements of Commitment from these leaders. he day will also feature the presentation of the Summit Youth Declaration and the Secretary-General’s Vision Statement for Transforming Education. SDG Moment This year’s SDG Moment, which will take place between 08:30 and 10:00 on Monday 19 September, immediately before Leader’s Day of the Transforming Education Summit, will be an opportunity to refocus attention on the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda, a blueprint for a fairer future for people and the planet. Speaking at the High-Level Political Forum – a key annual development forum – in July, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General, said that transitions in renewable energy, food systems and digital connectivity along with “investments in human capital, financing the opportunities”, are needed in order to turn multiple crises into opportunities. Ms. Mohammed said that this year’s Moment will be “an opportunity to focus on these deep transitions, and on the work needed to get us back on track. It will also be an important milestone on the way to the 2023 SDG Summit.” Last year’s Moment was notable for the involvement of Korean megastars BTS, who reflected on the huge disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and challenged the notion that they are part of a “lost COVID generation”. The rights of minorities On 18 December 1992, UN Member States adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities (UN Declaration on Minority Rights for short), described by the UN as a key instrument to address the political and civil, economic, social, and cultural rights of persons belonging to minorities. On Wednesday 21 September, in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, a High-Level Meeting will take place, as part of the year-long commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Declaration. Speaking in June, Paolo David, Head of UN Human Rights’ Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section, said that, while the adoption of the Declaration brought hope three decades ago, this feeling was quickly lost due to the armed conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Mr. David noted that minorities continue to be instrumentalised in many conflicts, including in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Today, minorities face unprecedented barriers and challenges, according to the UN. In many countries they deal with modern threats such as online hate speech and are being stripped of citizenship rights. The event is billed as a chance to take stock of constraints and achievements, share examples of best practice, and set priorities for the future. Global Goals Week The General Debate will overlap with Global Goals Week which, despite the name, is actually a nine-day programme of virtual and in-person events taking place between 16 and 25 September, involving more than 170 partners across civil society, business, academia, and the UN system, to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are too many events to list in full here, but they include NYC Climate Week, covering a wide range of climate-related challenges; the UN Private Sector Forum, run by UN Global Compact, which brings together business, the UN and civil society, to address global crises; and the launch of the 2002 Climate Action Project from Take Action Global, which brings classrooms from over 140 countries together, for a series of live interviews, school visits and social media takeovers. There will be plenty of SDG Media Zone videos to watch during Global Goals Week, with dozens of interesting speakers, including content creators, influencers, activists and media partners, taking part in panel discussions that will highlight actions and solutions in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. The list of speakers will be announced nearer the time, here.

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05 September 2022

Bahrain participates in Third UN Chiefs of Police Summit

Bahrain participated in Third UN Chief of Police Summit (UNCOPS 22), held in New York from 31 August to 1 September. Leading the Bahraini delegation, Deputy Chief of Public Security, Major-General Dr. Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khalifa reaffirmed Bahrain's commitment to advancing international cooperation to address the growing challenges to global security and achieve security and peace for all, according to State-run Bahrain News Agency (BNA). He emphasized the value of ongoing initiatives to strengthen collaboration and coordination through sharing knowledge and experiences in the fight against terrorism and organized crime. Police in the field embody ‘promise, hope and optimism’ of whole UN: Guterres Police officers from more than 90 countries who serve at UN operations around the world represent “multilateralism in action”, Secretary-General António Guterres said in his remarks to the Summit, which brought together ministers, police chiefs, and senior representatives of regional and professional policing organizations. “Since the first deployment of United Nations Police in 1960, they have continued to embody the promise, hope and optimism of our Organization,” Mr Guterres said. UNCOPS 2022 advanced a common understanding among current and potential police and financial contributors, the United Nations Secretariat and United Nations system entities of what the United Nations Police require to achieve their diverse and complex mandated tasks, including protecting civilians, rebuilding national police services, preventing crime and conflict, and sustaining peace. The Summit also offered a unique opportunity for the world’s police executives and United Nations leadership to engage in discussions on how United Nations policing and national policing mutually reinforce one another when addressing current and emerging global security challenges, including man-made and natural crises and incidents. Discussions during the Summit centred on developing strategies and procedures to operationalize the United Nations Police’s function as a system-wide service provider and focal point for issues relating to UN policing and other law enforcement. Additionally, to support continuing initiatives to expand capacities and improve the performance of the United Nations Police, including the introduction of the Voluntary Compact on Advancing Gender Parity within the United Nations Police Incorporating United Nations policing priorities into international peace and security procedures, dialogues, and fora. UN Police work to enhance international peace and security by supporting host countries in conflict, post-conflict, and other crisis situations. Women comprise over 19 per cent of the approximately 10,000 UN Police serving in 16 peace operations around the world. This year, a peacekeeper from Burkina Faso serving in Mali received the United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year Award, announced on 29 August. Chief Warrant Officer Alizeta Kabore Kinda has been honoured for her work to boost trust between the authorities and local communities, including survivors of gender-based violence. The Award was established in 2011 to recognize the exceptional contributions of women police officers to UN peace operations and to promote women’s empowerment.

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24 August 2022

WHO launches case study on Bahrain’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

The World Health Organisation launched a case study documenting the Kingdom of Bahrain’s strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing how the country managed to overcome critical challenges through preparedness and early response. The case study, which was launched during a joint press conference by H.E. Dr Jaleela bint Al-Sayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health of Bahrain, and Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, in the presence of a number of officials, presents a detailed view of Bahrain’s COVID-19 response and lessons learned. The unprecedented health crisis ushered in by the pandemic jeopardized the health and well-being of individuals and societies across the world. However, countries and health systems now have an opportunity to bounce back by sharing and learning from best practices to establish new paradigms of partnership in health emergency documentation and response. Speaking at the press conference, H.E. Dr Jaleela bint Al-Sayed Jawad Hasan said: “We are proud to have our experience documented by the WHO in this case study. Commitment at the highest political level was instrumental to the success of Bahrain’s COVID-19 response. Under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Bahrain managed to take significant strides to ensure the highest possible levels of safety and maintain health and well-being for all citizens and residents even before the first COVID-19 case was detected in the country.” Three weeks before the first case was reported in Bahrain, a National Taskforce for Combatting COVID-19 was formed, along with a fully functional, around-the-clock, war room. On February 19, five days before the first case was detected, a multilingual national campaign to combat COVID-19 was launched with a pre-prepared media statement to build community engagement, reinforcing awareness at all levels of society and providing sound technical guidance on how to prevent the spread. When the first case was detected on February 24, 202 the Taskforce was ready to launch a comprehensive whole-of-government response. Strong leadership and a holistic approach to care helped to secure a high level of support across the country, with over 50,000 volunteers registering on a national platform. Prevention, preparedness and response activities were implemented swiftly across all sectors through a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach, with support from international and local WHO officials. At the same time, Bahrain successfully dealt with a number of challenges during its response, including repurposing the workforce, acquiring sufficient protective equipment and reaching out to vulnerable populations. Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari praised the high-level collaboration between the Bahrain health authorities and the WHO in responding to the pandemic. “Under the wise leadership of HM the King and the follow up of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister in Bahrain, and through close coordination among the Ministry of Health, all concerned ministries, the Supreme Council of Health and the WHO, Bahrain’s response to the pandemic proved to be very timely, comprehensive and successful. We are glad to be part of this endeavour through our new WHO Country Office, which aims to expand WHO's longstanding partnership with the Government of Bahrain to achieve national and global health goals and make WHO’s regional vision of Health for All by All a reality on the ground.” Dr Al-Mandhari stated. In a video message to the press conference, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, thanked the Government of Bahrain for sharing their experiences and expressed his hope that the lessons from Bahrain’s experience will be useful for other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Dr Tedros emphasized that Bahrain’s success in containing the spread of the disease was the result of early testing, high vaccination coverage and the continued provision of essential health services thanks to a well-trained workforce. The existence of a WHO Country Office facilitated a three-level mission of WHO staff members from the Country Office, WHO’s Regional Office and headquarters to produce a detailed account of Bahrain’s operational strategy in containing the spread of the disease. Dr Tasnim Atatrah, WHO Representative to Bahrain, reiterated the importance of documenting Bahrain’s experiences with COVID-19. “Through this report, WHO seeks to increase the communication and exchange of lessons learned among those working in the field of health emergency in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region and beyond. The report is part of Bahrain’s contribution to the exchange of global best practice to strengthen health emergency preparedness and response across borders.”

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Launching conference of WHO's case study on Bahrain's response to the COVID-19 pandemic

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31 March 2022

How digitalisation has helped Bahrain ensure the continuity of its Higher Education during COVID-19

As in many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain has highlighted the critical role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the continued functioning of society. Reem Al Attar is an architecture student at the University of Bahrain (UOB). "The pandemic disrupted our lives, including our studies", she stated. To ensure the continuity of its services, UOB promptly managed to provide online courses. Online technical assistance was also available to help students adjust to the new situation. "Being connected to the internet has been vital, and without the proper IT tools we wouldn't have survived the last two years". Covid-19 as an Accelerator of Digitalisation "At first, it was a challenge. We had to find a solution for students who could not afford a personal computer or purchase internet services," said Dr Zahra Haram, Professor of Law at Ahliya University in Bahrain. Dr Haram believes that COVID-19 eventually became an accelerator for digitalising education, among other sectors. "This pace in adopting online education wouldn't have been achieved without the serious challenge the pandemic imposed on us." "The crisis also brought discussions among academics, experts, and citizens about the concept of citizens' rights to various digital services, particularly access to reliable information in an effective, timely, and secure manner. We truly tested what we could and couldn't do, and now it is time for Bahrain to invest even more in its digital infrastructure." In fact, Bahrain, which recognises that digital government transformation is key to the emergence of a knowledge-based economy and the modernisation of the public sector, recently announced its 2022-2026 strategy for the ICT sector. "The new strategy will strengthen the Kingdom's economic position," said Adel Darwish, Director for the Arab Region at The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) - the United Nations specialised agency for ICTs. Forsati for Her Ahmed Al Hujairi is a Chief Executive Officer of ICT firms in Bahrain. "Bahrain's efforts prior to COVID-19 in digitising its services were an investment that paid off during the pandemic", he said. According to Al Hujairi, integrating the ICT into education and adopting skills-based education could not be achieved on time without proper pre-existing infrastructures, such as reliable connectivity and an existing portal. "Empowering young people to thrive in the digital economy has also been instrumental", stated Al Hujairi. As part of this effort, the University of Bahrain launched Forsati for Her in 2018, a programme to train female students from different majors and subject areas to become skilled programmers. Supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the university programme aims to capacitate female students to enter the Bahraini job market through its emerging digital window and growing technology startup scene. "There is an increasing number of skilled Bahraini ICT graduates, including females", said Al Hujairi, whose businesses employ close to 60 full-timers and 200 part-timers – males and females. Farkhanda A. Hamid, a Bahraini Alumna of the programme, is one of those. She has worked in the IT sector for the past three years. "Forsati for Her has given me an edge to get a job", said Hamid, who has ambitions to become an entrepreneur and start her own IT company, one day.

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Press Release

10 August 2022

The Secretary-General's Message for International Youth Day - 12 August

Today, we celebrate International Youth Day, and the power of partnerships across generations. This year’s theme — “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages” — reminds us of a basic truth: we need people of all ages, young and old alike, to join forces to build a better world for all. Too often, ageism, bias and discrimination prevent this essential collaboration. When young people are shut out of the decisions being made about their lives, or when older people are denied a chance to be heard, we all lose. Solidarity and collaboration are more essential than ever, as our world faces a series of challenges that threaten our collective future. From COVID-19 to climate change, to conflicts, poverty, inequality and discrimination, we need all hands on deck to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build the better, more peaceful future we all seek. We need to support young people with massive investments in education and skills-building — including through next month’s Transforming Education Summit. We also need to support gender equality and expanded opportunities for young people to participate in civic and political life. It’s not enough to listen to young people — we need to integrate them into decision-making mechanisms at the local, national and international levels. This is at the heart of our proposal to establish a new Youth Office at the United Nations. And we need to ensure that older generations have access to social protection and opportunities to give back to their communities and share the decades of lived experience they have accumulated. On this important day, let’s join hands across generations to break down barriers, and work as one to achieve a more equitable, just and inclusive world for all people.

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Press Release

09 August 2022

Bahrain’s Royal Humanitarian Foundation signs agreement to support earthquake relief efforts in Afghanistan

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency announced a US$ 1 million agreement with the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF), a Bahraini foundation, to support the relief efforts in earthquake-hit regions of Afghanistan. The agreement was signed in Kabul by UNHCR Representative Leonard Zulu and the Secretary-General of RHF Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed in the presence of UNHCR Senior Advisor and Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries Khaled Khalifa. In this agreement, the Royal Humanitarian Foundation will support UNHCR’s relief efforts in areas of southeastern Afghanistan that were struck by a deadly earthquake in late June that killed some 800 people and injured many others – the country’s worst earthquake in 20 years. “This generous assistance will support the most urgent needs of earthquake-affected residents in the three worst-affected districts of southeastern Afghanistan, Giyan and Bermal in Paktika Province and Spera in Khost Province, with the construction of earthquake-resistant homes, protection services, and the delivery of essential relief items,” said UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan Leonard Zulu. The Secretary-General of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation praised UNHCR’s efforts in providing relief to vulnerable persons. “This grant affirms the Royal Humanitarian Foundation’s commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts worldwide and our confidence in UNHCR’s global relief capacity as an agency that provides humanitarian assistance swiftly and efficiently wherever it is needed,” said Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed. UNHCR’s Senior Advisor and Representative to the GCC Countries, Khaled Khalifa, praised RHF’s pioneering humanitarian role, evidenced by its prompt response and readiness to provide the grant. “The grant is yet another example of a true humanitarian partnership, ensuring timely assistance wherever it is needed,” he added. “Our partnership with the foundation plays a crucial role in assisting those in need in Afghanistan and around the world, which was made possible by the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.” Over the past four decades, Afghanistan has been battered by conflicts and natural disasters that have left millions facing famine and starvation. The latest estimates indicate that some 24 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian assistance. There are around 3.5 million conflict-displaced persons in Afghanistan, as well as 1.57 million climate-displaced people, making it one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world. For more information, please contact: In Afghanistan, Peter Kessler, kessler@unhcr.org, +93 70 2465 614 In the United Arab Emirates, Khaled Kabbara, kabbara@unhcr.org, +971 50 641 0868

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Press Release

09 August 2022

Op-Ed: My Message from Hiroshima

On Saturday, I proudly stood with Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, and the people of Hiroshima in memory of an unprecedented catastrophe. Seventy-seven years ago, nuclear weapons were dropped on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tens of thousands of women, children and men were killed in the blink of an eye, incinerated in a hellish fire. Buildings turned to dust. The cities’ beautiful rivers ran with blood. Those who survived were cursed with a radioactive legacy, stalked by health problems, and subjected to lifelong stigma because of the nuclear bombing. I had the great honour of meeting with a group of those survivors — the hibakusha, whose numbers grow smaller each year. They told me with unflinching bravery what they witnessed on that terrifying day in 1945. It is time for world leaders to be as clear-eyed as the hibakusha and see nuclear weapons for what they are. Nuclear weapons make no sense. They cannot deliver safety, protection or security. By design, they deliver only death and destruction. Three-quarters of a century have passed since mushroom clouds swelled above Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since then, humanity has endured a Cold War, decades of absurd brinksmanship, and several terrifying near-misses that placed humanity within minutes of annihilation. But even during the depths of the Cold War, nuclear powers made significant reductions in their nuclear arsenals. There was widespread acceptance of the principles against the use, proliferation and testing of nuclear arms. Today, we are in danger of forgetting the lessons of 1945. A new arms race is picking up speed, with governments spending hundreds of billions of dollars to upgrade their stockpiles of nuclear arms. Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now held in arsenals around the world. Geopolitical crises with grave nuclear undertones are spreading fast, from the Middle East, to the Korean peninsula, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Once again, humanity is playing with a loaded gun. We are one mistake, one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from Armageddon. Leaders must stop knocking on doomsday’s door and take the nuclear option off the table for good. It is unacceptable for states in possession of nuclear weapons to admit the possibility of nuclear war, which would spell the end of humanity. By the same token, countries with nuclear weapons must commit to the “no first use” of those weapons. They must also assure States that do not have nuclear weapons that they will not use — or threaten to use — nuclear weapons against them, and be transparent throughout. Nuclear saber-rattling must stop. In the end, there is only one solution to the nuclear threat: not to have nuclear weapons at all. This means opening every avenue of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation to ease tensions and eliminate these deadly weapons of mass destruction. We are seeing fresh signs of hope in New York, where the world has come together for the Tenth Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The Treaty is one of the main reasons why nuclear weapons have not been used since 1945. It contains legally binding commitments to achieve nuclear disarmament, and can be a powerful catalyst for disarmament — the only way to eliminate these horrendous weapons once and for all. And in June, members of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons met for the first time to develop a roadmap towards a world free of these doomsday devices. We can no longer accept the presence of weapons that hang by a slender thread over humanity’s future. It is time to heed the timeless message of the hibakusha: “No more Hiroshimas! No more Nagasakis!” It is time to proliferate peace. Together, step by step, let’s wipe these weapons off the face of the earth.

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Press Release

07 June 2022

Food Safety in Bahrain: Setting the Standard for the World

In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly designated 7 June as World Food Safety Day. This decision has been made in light of the critical need to raise awareness at all levels and to promote and mobilise actions to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks. This year's theme is: "Safer food, better health." Food, after all, is more than just what we eat. It is the foundation of our culture, economy, and relationship with the natural world. Food safety is essential to human health and well-being. It contributes to a healthy life, economy, planet, and future. On the other hand, unsafe foods cause many diseases and contribute to other health conditions, such as impaired growth, micronutrient deficiencies, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and mental illness. Globally, one in ten people is affected by foodborne diseases annually due to contaminated food products. The Kingdom of Bahrain has a high standard of food safety management that aligns with international best practices. This performance is undoubtedly beneficial to long-term human development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 3 (Health and Well-being), and Goal 6 (Water and Sanitation). Bahrain is a regional trendsetter in food safety. In addition to developing its national policies and guidelines, it also participates in standards formulation, implementation, and evaluation in the food safety committee within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. It is also commendable that the Kingdom of Bahrain employs a multi-agency approach to food safety governance. The safety and quality of imported foods are strictly controlled. Although Bahrain does not formally apply the "One Health" approach, it applies stringent safety standards to imported livestock to protect local livestock, the environment and the citizens. This effort is being carried out in collaboration with the other GCC countries. As the country's plans for increasing local food production unfold, it is essential to enhance the food safety measures related to local production. It is also critical that how we produce, process, market and consume our food, and dispose of our waste establishment -which we have coined 'food systems'- is sustainable[1]. When food systems function well, they deliver food security and nutrition, allowing increased accessibility, affordability of a safe food for all, for an active, healthy life. As a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resulting decline in the global wheat supply, 44 million people in 38 countries are suffering from emergency levels of hunger, with price increases of up to 30 per cent for staple foods threatening people in countries across Africa and the Middle East. While the Kingdom of Bahrain and other GCC countries have been the least affected by the war in Ukraine, thanks to generous government subsidies, its food security may be challenged by climate change, urbanization trends, and the vulnerability they bring to the existing food system. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the extent to which climate change affects individual regions and countries will vary over time. Moreover, different societal and environmental systems will have varied abilities to mitigate or adapt to change. As a result of its recognition of global climate change challenges, the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain has been actively engaged in consultation within the Global Food Systems Summit convened by the UN Secretary-General in September 2021, identifying food security and self-sufficiency of agricultural and fishery products as priorities for cooperation with the United Nations. As a follow-up to last year's highly successful Global Food Systems Summit in New York, the Secretary-General has established a Food Systems Coordination Hub to bring together the UN system capacities for supporting all countries in transforming national food systems. Until September 2022, the Hub will host a series of monthly Food Systems Solutions Dialogues that will cover various areas of food systems. Within the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the period 2021-2024, the UN Country Team in Bahrain will continue to support Bahrain in developing food systems towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to showcase Bahrain's food safety standards model at a global level. [1] Why Food Systems Matter https://summitdialogues.org/overview/dialogues-and-the-food-systems-summit/why-food-systems-matter/

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