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Speech
23 June 2022
Resident Coordinator ad interim's remarks at the national consultation on transforming education
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Story
22 June 2022
King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to achieve the SDGs: A window of hope for dynamic entrepreneurs in Africa
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Video
18 June 2022
Hate Speech | What are the Consequences ? | What You Can Do to Prevent the Next Atrocity
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The Sustainable Development Goals 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.
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.
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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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Story
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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Story
16 February 2022
Bahraini women in science have an essential role to play
"Women who want to work in science must show resilience not to give up despite the obstacles", said Dr Hanan Mubarak Al-Bufalasah, Head of Physics Department at the University of Bahrain (UOB).
With a master's degree and a PhD in Renewable Energy, she established renewable energy laboratories and a Higher Diploma Program in Meteorology at the University of Bahrain. She has contributed to several local and international publications, including Bahrain's Human Development Report.
According to Dr Al-Bufalasah, males continue to dominate scientific careers despite an increasing number of brilliant female Bahraini students in science. "Like in many parts of the world, societal barriers due to stereotypes or traditions continue to prevent women in Bahrain from pursuing a scientific career", she said.
Through its efforts to advance women, Bahrain has proven that it is a leader in the region on gender issues. However, there are still opportunities to improve women's representation in technical fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
"I have seen many female high-academic achievers, who have given up on their promising scientific career and instead chose to go with less demanded jobs because they had to put their families first," she said. "Other female scientists have abandoned their careers because they couldn't achieve a work-life balance".
This reality has been used to argue for not hiring females in science-based jobs. "It happened to me personally when I was refused a position because, allegedly, I would not be able to work during night shifts," said Dr Al-Bufalasah.
The University of Bahrain is constantly working to improve women's representation. In one of its PhD programmes in Environment and Sustainable Development, 30 out of 41 students are females. The programme put together in partnership with the United Nations University (UNV), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) encompasses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with emphasis on the environmental goals.
Science and gender equality are indeed both essential for sustainable development. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science. According to UN Women, only 33 per cent of researchers globally are women, and they are awarded less research funding than men and are less likely to be promoted. Women are also less present in private sector company leadership and technical roles in tech industries. Women account for just 22 per cent of professionals working in artificial intelligence and 28 per cent of engineering graduates.
"The major challenges the world faces today, from COVID-19 to climate change, need our brightest scientific minds to solve them. However, only one in three scientists is a woman. This glaring disparity does not just hamstring our ability to find solutions to our common challenges; it keeps us from building the societies we need. And the disparity is systemic," said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women and Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, in a joint statement issued on 11 February, on the occasion of the International Day for Women and Girls in Science.
"I hope to see more women getting into modeling, IT coding, programming, and Artificial Intelligence", said Dr Sabah Saleh Al-Jenid, Associate Professor of geoinformatics at College of graduate studies, Arabian Gulf University.
Dr Sabah Saleh Al-Jenid holds a master's degree in Geographic Information Systems, a master's degree in Desert Resources and Hydrology, and a PhD in Environmental Studies. She has published research papers on the effects of climate change on the coastal areas of Bahrain.
''Women and girls must pursue their scientific aspirations. But they need to be goal-focused and exceptional hard-workers to succeed. It is precisely what I have done personally.'
As a member of the Supreme Council for Women of Bahrain, she leads a research team to study future jobs and gender balance. She also works closely with different United Nations organizations as a climate change expert.
This year, the theme for International Women's Day is "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow", recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, building a more sustainable future for all.
"As a climate scientist interested in environmental crises, I believe that Bahrain has yet to address several challenges such as road networking and renewable energy infrastructure. We, Bahraini women in science, have an essential role to play. "
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Story
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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Story
26 January 2022
President of the General Assembly praises Bahrain's commitment to the UN Charter and multilateralism
In conclusion of a three-day official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr Abdullah Shahid, praised the adherence of the Kingdom to the United Nations Charter and its support for multilateralism.
During the visit, Mr Abdulla Shahid discussed several issues with Bahraini officials, encompassing the essence of his vision of “Presidency of Hope”, as well as the response to COVID-19, multilateralism and cooperation between the United Nations and Bahrain.
Mr Shahid had the opportunity to meet His Majesty the King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, praising His Majesty for Bahrain's high-level engagement with the United Nations. The meeting, as per Mr. Shahid, touched on regional, global and emerging challenges.
He also met the Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Highness Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and expressed his appreciation for the continued support to the “Presidency of Hope” and lauded the efforts of the Crown Prince with regards to the response to COVID-19.
Mr Shahid also met with Her Excellency Mrs. Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal, the first ever female speaker of Bahraini Parliament. “I spoke to her about a wide range of issues, from COVID-19 recovery to human rights.” Mr. Shahid highlighted in a tweet.
Mr Shahid also met with Shaikha Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa, President of the 61st Session of the General Assembly. In a tweet following the meeting, he said: “I deeply benefited from her wisdom and insight, accumulated over a long and distinguished career. Our discussions also touched on multilateralism and General Assembly revitalization”.
Guided by his areas of priorities, Mr. Shahid also met with the Special Envoy for Climate Affairs and Chief Executive Officer of the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE), Dr Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina. Areas of discussions included climate change, COP26 and the special measures needed to protect small island states, such as Bahrain.
In a lecture delivered at the Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa Academy for Diplomatic Studies, and mainly attended by future Bahraini diplomates, he focused on the importance of pluralism in facing global challenges, while presenting the importance of rebuilding sustainably, the climate crisis, respecting the rights of all, and revitalizing the United Nations.
In an opinion editorial published in Bahraini newspapers, Mr. Shahid praised Bahrain’s best practice in combating COVID-19, especially in terms of vaccine parity, and encouraged other countries to follow Bahrain’s policy in this regard.
Mr Shahid met with the Bahrain UN Country Team (UNCT), led by Acting Resident Coordinator, Mr. Mohammed Al-Zarkani on the first day of his visit. He exchanged views with the UNCT in Bahrain touching upon a range of issues, including pluralism, gender equality, climate change and recovery from COVID-19.
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Story
11 October 2021
WHO EMRO Regional Committee Meeting is now open to members of the community
For the first time, the WHO EMRO Regional Committee Meeting is now open to members of the community.
The Regional Committee is WHO’s decision-making body in the Region, convening once a year to discuss and endorse regional policies, activities, and financial plans. Health ministers and high-level representatives of the 22 countries and territories of WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region, partner and civil society organizations will convene virtually this year for the 68th Regional Committee. Every year, new resolutions are adopted – at the end of the meeting – which guide the work of the WHO Regional Office and country offices for the coming year.
For the first time, the Regional Committee is taking place on a virtual platform - not only available to member states and delegates, but also to partners, academics, health professionals, and community members.
You can walk into the WHO EMRO premises for a virtual visit, attend panel discussions, visit the marketplace, and network with other participants. The platform is available in English, Arabic, and French.
Register here to join:
https://rc68.emro.who.int/
Please also find the following tutorial videos, with a guide on how to access and explore the RC68 platform: English: https://youtu.be/3EdQI6XYJzA
Arabic: https://youtu.be/RcsBQ7KWOXw
Please also find the following tutorial videos, with a guide on how to access and explore the RC68 platform: English: https://youtu.be/3EdQI6XYJzA
Arabic: https://youtu.be/RcsBQ7KWOXw
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Story
05 September 2021
UN Volunteers stepping in for the global race against climate change
UN Volunteers are engaging governments, business leaders and community-based organizations to expand partnerships with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for climate action. They take part in the COVID-19 pandemic recovery by encouraging partners' support for conservation and circularity – the movement addressing climate change and safeguarding economic growth. On this World Humanitarian Day, every action counts to get the world racing against the climate crisis.
Paolo Marengo (38, Italy) is a UN Volunteer Project Associate supporting the UNEP Regional Office for West Asia, in Manama, Bahrain. Paolo began serving with UNEP in February of this year and is already contributing to the implementation of the Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO4SDGs) initiative.
Paolo's support to GO4SDGs involves ensuring that stakeholders come together to share expertise, resources and strategies towards reducing carbon emissions, promoting alternative energy and expanding the circular economy. This is especially important for countries undergoing political transition or COVID-19 recovery because of the potential for greater stability and economic growth.
Moreover, outreach is underway to government agencies, non-profit organizations and private sector partners in the plastics and construction sectors to increase repurposing and encourage sustainable fashion.
It is vital to develop more sustainable consumption and production practices - for instance, decreasing the demand for raw materials and increasing the demand for used materials that can be repurposed, recycled or upcycled. We aim to build a diverse community focused on sustainable lifestyles, and to replicate successful initiatives." -- Paolo Marengo, UN Volunteer Project Associate, UNEP Regional Office for West Asia
In addition, Paolo contributed to a special project aiming to reduce the disposal of unwanted food during the month of Ramadan, and supported the development of UNEP's report on the State of Food Waste in West Asia. Follow-on activities are in the planning stages to build upon the success of national awareness campaigns and embed food waste in the public dialogue on food security year-round.
Climate change is endangering some of the region's ecosystems. Dead tree at Azraq Wetland Reserve in Jordan. © Hasan Ibhais/UNV, 2020
Serving with UNEP in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UN Volunteers Ahmed Mudawi (30, Sudan) and Lama* (25, Egypt) are helping localize activities and ensure projects meet the needs on the ground.
As a Program Support Officer, Ahmed is UNEP's focal point to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders.
Ahmed is keen to conduct outreach for UNEP's newly established office in Riyadh, determine training needs and capacities, and plan consultations and events with new partners. In particular, he is an advocate for green spaces and urban parks. He is committed to increasing support for environmental protection as he understands how it can impact health and be a resource for children and families looking for safe spaces to play.
The environment is connected to everything in life – recreation, health and mental health. And as we care for it, we care for each other." -- Ahmed Mudawi, UN Volunteer Program Support Officer, UNEP, Saudi Arabia
A youth coalition to protect wildlife, increase air quality and foster responsible waste management is also forming. In support of these activities, UN Volunteer Lama is mapping local organizations and leading UNEP's coordination with the UN Country Team in Saudi Arabia.
As a Programme Support Associate, Lama also supported the production of a film for World Environment Day. The film was derived from a collection of videos submitted by local youth - many of whom were learning about the ecosystem and the human cost of climate change for the first time.
This is meaningful to me because I am an early career professional. Work at UNEP has increased my knowledge and skills and it has been a nurturing place for people like me, who are new to the workforce and learning about environmental matters for the first time." -- Lama, UN Volunteer Programme Support Associate, UNEP, Saudi Arabia
In the context of the pandemic, these UN Volunteers are embedding green growth into national and regional dialogues and promoting broad-based support for climate action.
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* For privacy reasons and upon the request of the UN Volunteer, she is not referred to by her real name.
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Story
20 June 2021
Launch of the Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment
WHAT: UN Women in cooperation and partnership with the Supreme Council for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain, is hosting a virtual event to launch the second edition of the Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment on the sidelines of the Generation Equality Forum, co-hosted by the Governments of France and Mexico.
First launched in 2018, and bestowed every three years, the Award aims to highlight the contribution of different entities and individuals around the world towards the empowerment of women and girls. The Award recognizes achievements for women’s empowerment across four categories: Public Sector, Private Sector, Civil Society Organizations, and Individual Champions. The winner in each category will be awarded USD 100,000 to further sustain initiatives that support women.
WHEN: 1st July 2021, 11am Paris / Cairo time (12 noon Bahrain time)
WHERE: Virtually via Zoom
WHO:
HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King of Bahrain, President of the Supreme Council for Women, Kingdom of Bahrain
HE Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women
HE Mrs. Hala Mohammed Jaber Al Ansari, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Women, Kingdom of Bahrain
Susanne Mikhail Eldhagen, Regional Director, UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States
Cindy Sirinya Bishop, Regional UN Women Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific
Memory Kachambwa, Executive Director, The African Women’s Development and Communications Network (FEMNET)
Abdulrahman Jawahery, CEO, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company
Other speakers to be added, once confirmed.
REGISTRATION: https://unwomen.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fZNS4UlySzmB3QfVaRM6QA
Media and individuals wishing to attend the event should register by 29 June.
Join the conversation: Follow @unwomenarabic and @scwbahrain on Twitter and Instagram and share your messages using the hashtags #GlobalAward4Women and #SCW20.
Read in Spanish.
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Story
20 April 2021
UN Special Envoy for Road Safety visits UN House in Bahrain
On March 28, 2021, United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety His Excellency Jean Todt was welcome by the United Nations Country Team at the UN House in Bahrain to raise awareness around the second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030) as part of the commitment by Member States to halve the number of road deaths and injuries, as well as to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all throughout the Decade of Action.
His arrival came in conjunction with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Traffic Week, a weeklong traffic safety awareness campaign held annually throughout the GCC in a bid to raise road safety awareness and decrease the number of traffic fatalities.
During his visit, HE Jean Todt was briefed by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Road Safety in Bahrain. The main causes of injury crashes in Bahrain were noted to be caused by pedestrians and behavioral driving issues. Pedestrians accounted for a significant amount of fatalities in 2019 at 43%. Additionally, road crashes are a serious threat to youth, and in Bahrain number of deaths coincided with said fact as it was highest for the 15 - 29 year age group.
Road traffic injuries threaten public health, social equity, and sustainable development. To alleviate and lessen the burdens to society caused by traffic accidents, Youth For Road Safety (YOURS), a global organization aimed at actively engaging youth as major contributors to road safety solutions, notes five main risk factors that are leading causes of youth traffic injuries:
Not Wearing Helmets: Helmets greatly decrease the likelihood of death and serious injury, as head injuries are the most common form of injury in motorcycle crashes.
Speeding: Speeding increases the likelihood of severe injuries resultant from road crashes when compared to driving at lower speeds.
Not Wearing Seatbelts: The simple act of putting on a seatbelt has saved more lives than any other form of intervention in preventing road traffic injuries.
Distracted-Driving: Distractions can be visual (taking eyes off the road to look at a sign), physical (taking hands off the wheel to answer the phone), or mental (talking on the phone). Drivers who use their phones are statistically four times more likely to crash when compared to a person who is not distracted.
Drunk-Driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics decreases decision-making capacities and leads to higher rates of road crashes. Even a small amount of alcohol results in longer times to react, less coordination and increases risky driving behaviors. As a result, it is imperative for the safety of all road users to ensure that drivers and passengers use road helmets, drive within the speed limit, wear seatbelts, drive without distractions and refrain from driving if under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. For more information on the Decade of Action, please click here. For more information on Youth for Road Safety, please click here.
Speeding: Speeding increases the likelihood of severe injuries resultant from road crashes when compared to driving at lower speeds.
Not Wearing Seatbelts: The simple act of putting on a seatbelt has saved more lives than any other form of intervention in preventing road traffic injuries.
Distracted-Driving: Distractions can be visual (taking eyes off the road to look at a sign), physical (taking hands off the wheel to answer the phone), or mental (talking on the phone). Drivers who use their phones are statistically four times more likely to crash when compared to a person who is not distracted.
Drunk-Driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics decreases decision-making capacities and leads to higher rates of road crashes. Even a small amount of alcohol results in longer times to react, less coordination and increases risky driving behaviors. As a result, it is imperative for the safety of all road users to ensure that drivers and passengers use road helmets, drive within the speed limit, wear seatbelts, drive without distractions and refrain from driving if under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. For more information on the Decade of Action, please click here. For more information on Youth for Road Safety, please click here.
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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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Press Release
19 June 2022
Statement by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Mr. Khaled Al Mekwad, after presenting his credentials
I had the honor to meet yesterday His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, to present my credentials as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom.
I conveyed to his Excellency my aspiration to build on the fruitful partnership between the United Nations and the Kingdom of Bahrain and the remarkable development of joint cooperation frameworks in recent years.
The United Nations in Bahrain will work with national partners from the government sector, the private sector, and civil society, within the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2024 signed with the Government in May 2021, to achieve the sustainable development goals in Bahrain, in line with the Kingdom’s national priorities as defined by the Economic Vision 2030 of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
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Press Release
30 May 2022
Op-Ed: The power of partnerships: Why supporting our peacekeepers matters more now than ever by Under-Secretary-General, Jean-Pierre Lacroix
Every day, United Nations peacekeepers work to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in the world’s most fragile political and security situations.
Our civilian and uniformed personnel support ceasefires, prevent and respond to violence, investigate human rights violations and abuses, and help build peace, recovery, and development in conflict-affected countries. There is no doubt that lives are saved and changed by their presence.
In South Sudan, more than 80 percent of respondents to a recent perception survey reported feeling safer due to the presence of UN peacekeepers. Communities in other conflict zones also testify about the impact of peacekeeping. During operation “Let Peace Reign” in the Central African Republic, local leaders reported that increased patrols were deterring armed groups while the provision of clean water, medical assistance, and road rehabilitation by peacekeepers had significantly improved their lives. “It prevents the enemies of peace in our region so that peace returns, allowing us to move freely,” said Iyo Feikoumon from Doyi Village.
In some peace operations, a primary task is to provide robust protection of civilians due to the nature of the threat on the ground. Our military and police personnel make every effort to carry out this mandate in challenging and, often dangerous, conditions. However, the ultimate objective is to create the conditions for political solutions and sustainable peace. That is the true measure of our success.
Achieving that outcome is becoming more difficult in an increasingly tense global political and security climate.
Conflicts are more complex and multi-layered with local tensions fueled by national, regional, and international forces acting in their own interests. An increasing number of actors are involved in violence, including criminal, terrorist, and other armed elements. It is difficult to engage with these individuals and groups, with diverse motives and objectives and often links to transnational organized crime, because they have no real interest in reaching political settlements that foster lasting peace.
We are witnessing a less united approach to conflict resolution among global powers due to widening political divisions which, in turn, takes the pressure off warring parties to end violence and make concessions. These divides are exposed in Security Council resolutions relating to peacekeeping mandates, with less unanimity in the decisions made by Member States, notably on mandate renewals, but also less support to our missions when they face challenges on the ground.
A surge in mis-and disinformation is also creating new and growing threats to the safety of UN personnel and the communities they serve. In places like Mali, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo, fake news fuels fighting as well as hostility towards peacekeeping missions. We are experiencing an increase in attacks on our bases, ambushes of convoys, and the increased use of improvised explosive devices. In this environment, the iconic blue flag that should provide safety for peacekeepers now risks making them a target.
Despite our best efforts to keep personnel safe, more peacekeepers are being injured or killed in these volatile conditions. The frequency of malicious attacks against peacekeepers increased from 280 in 2020 to 463 last year. In 2021, there were 24 fatalities due to these violent acts.
Among those we have lost are eight peacekeepers who died when their helicopter went down in the eastern DRC in March, during a reconnaissance mission to help protect civilians. I attended a very moving memorial service alongside colleagues in Goma. We all understand that risk, and loss, are inevitable given the nature of our work, but coming together in these tragic circumstances reminds us of the immense price paid by fallen peacekeepers and their families. I want to pay tribute to them. Their sacrifice inspires us to redouble our efforts to build peace and stability.
UN peacekeeping is not alone in this endeavor. Many partners work alongside us in the cause of peace.
Among them are humanitarians who provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable. Strong partnerships with communities are also critical. They inspire us with their resilience and persistence in helping resolve tensions, supporting reconciliation, and building peace. Women and youth are also vital partners as powerful champions for peace as are civil society and the media who shine light on the challenges and help promote solutions. We continue to strengthen our partnerships with the 122 Member States that contribute more than 75,000 military and police personnel to our 12 peacekeeping operations. We rely on the consent and active participation of host governments as well as the strong, united support of regional and international partners to persuade parties to put aside their differences and make the necessary concessions to reach political settlements.
That is why, this year, we are marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers under the theme “People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships”. It is a chance to thank partners for their contributions and to issue a fresh call to action in the pursuit of global peace and security.
Peacekeeping is an imperfect tool that can never meet all needs or expectations. There are times when we are prevented from, or fail to carry out our mandates, and let ourselves, and those we serve, down, including in cases of misconduct by our personnel.
When this happens, we will continue to be held accountable, to constantly interrogate our performance, and find ways to be more innovative and effective, particularly through the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which establishes priority areas where progress is needed. This includes strengthening our capacity to advance political solutions and support sustainable peace, improving protection of civilians as well as the safety of peacekeepers, implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, and rigorously evaluating our own performance.
Our goals are ambitious and not all will be achieved.
Questions may sometimes be asked about the value and impact of peacekeeping.
But if not peacekeeping, what else? Does a better solution exist today to maintain ceasefires, protect civilians, prevent chaos, and support peace efforts in the complex, conflict-affected environments where our operations are deployed?
Despite these questions, and in the face of many challenges, UN Peacekeeping will persevere alongside our partners, to be a strong force for change in a collective effort to achieve peace and progress for all peoples.
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Press Release
12 May 2022
Op-ed: Bahrain is progressing towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) congratulates the Government of Bahrain on the presentation of its National Report before the General Assembly High-Level Meeting on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and commends its support to a joint multilateral effort to revitalize the New Urban Agenda in order to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of urban public spaces and parks for public health. The density of urban areas did not exacerbate the COVID-19 crisis, in fact, walkable neighborhoods provided better social safety nets and liveability during the lockdown[1]. Nevertheless, urban sprawl continues to accelerate over the last decades. It threatens sustainable urban financing and biodiversity while increasing car dependency, emissions-related diseases, and traffic accidents.
The contribution of cities to the realization of the global targets on climate change is therefore essential. Cities that account for 67-76% of global energy use and for 71-76% of man-made CO2 emissions can also offer the most sustainable form of human settlement [2]. While climate impacts are mostly felt in urban communities, sustainable urbanization can provide an opportunity to advance climate-resilient development [3].
Generating specialized and cutting-edge knowledge in support of urban climate change mitigation and climate resilience has never been more critical. Cities must strive to harness the benefits of technology, and ensure that people are at the center to ensure automation, digitalization, and other structural economic changes do not lead to unemployment.
Bahrain’s commitment to the New Urban agenda is critical to the achievement of the SDGs and its own Vision 2030. Participation in the High-level meeting in New York was a valuable opportunity for Bahrain to take stock of its efforts and exchange knowledge on how to achieve more sustainable cities. There is an increased understanding amongst all sectors of government and society on the importance to look at how cities are planned and how they can be a catalyst for sustainable development.
UN-Habitat strongly advocates for resilient urban planning and design. Low-carbon plans for infrastructure and basic services are needed to promote local economic development and to protect cities from further contributing to environmental degradation. Concurrently, it is critical to pay particular attention to green spaces, water management, mobility, and energy efficiency as key pillars of sustainable urban development.
UN-Habitat has recently joined the UN family in Bahrain and stands ready to support the country to further explore opportunities to establish the linkages between urban planning and sustainability, in terms of cities as hotspots of vulnerability, but equally as well as drivers and opportunities for prosperous and sustainable urban development.
Dr. Fernanda Lonardoni is the Head of the UN-Habitat Country Programme in Bahrain.
[1] UN-Habitat (2021). Cities and Pandemics: Towards a More Just, Green and Healthy Future.
[2] IPCC Working Group III AR6 (2022). Chapter 8: Urban Systems and other settlements. In: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate
Change.
[3] IPCC Working Group III AR6 (2022). Chapter 8: Urban Systems and other settlements. In: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate
Change.
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Press Release
14 April 2022
The United Nations in Bahrain publishes its 2021 Country Results Report
The United Nations Country Team in Bahrain published today its 2021 Country results report. The report spotlights significant achievements in implementing the Sustainable and Strategic Cooperation Framework (SCF) signed with the Government of Bahrain in May 2021.
"Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we managed to move forward with implementing most of our projects and initiatives and developing new ones for the future, achieving significant results in the process," said UN Resident Coordinator for Bahrain a.i, Mohamed El Zarkani.
In 2021, UN activities in Bahrain focused mostly on capacity development, the provision of policy advice, and thought leadership across the four priority outcomes of the plan, closely matching Bahrain’s national priorities. The support provided spanned all Sustainable Development Goals.
"As we are approaching a year since the signing of the Strategic Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SCF), the first to be signed in the Gulf region, this report provides a comprehensive brief of the work that has been carried out in the first year of the SCF. We look forward to the path ahead and to continuing our very important work with UN agencies to ensure that our development process is holistic, sustainable, and leaves no one behind", said Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Political Affairs, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.
"We in the Kingdom of Bahrain are strong supporters of advancement, and the UN development system reforms launched by the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres initiated the evolution of a more transparent, more effective, and a more coherent partnership. Our work, together with the United Nations Country Team is driven by our joint ambition to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while realizing our national priorities, and the Economic Vision 2030 as well as the 2019-2022 Action Plan of the Government of Bahrain", His Excellency said.
"The actual test of our work is measured by the tangible results achieved for the people we serve. In 2022, we look forward to building on our 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," said UN Resident Coordinator a.i in Bahrain.
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Resources
22 March 2021
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