WPC Statement on International Human Rights Day

See English below.
بيان بمناسبة الاحتفال باليوم العالمي لحقوق الإنسان

إننا نشهد هذا العام الاحتفال بالذكرى السنوية الستين لإقرار الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان في وقت أصبح موضوع حقوق الإنسان من المواضيع المهمة علي مستوي دول العالم خاصة بالدول النامية. وهذه المناسبة يجب أن تكون نبراساً لنا لأجل تعزيز مفاهيم حقوق الإنسان وقيمه النبيلة. ونحن واثقون من أن أي توجه يهدف لنشر وتدعيم ثقافة حقوق الإنسان سيعزز من مكانة الإعلان. ولجنة العريضة النسائية بمملكة البحرين تدعم هذا التوجه وفي الوقت ذاته تؤكد على ضرورة الالتزام بنشر هذه الثقافة وفقاً للمعايير المتفق عليها دولياً. ومع الاحتفال بالإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان في عيده الستين فإنه يتعين على الجميع ترسيخ المفاهيم التي جاء بها الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان من خلال إبراز القيم والمبادئ التي جاء بها الإعلان وتطبيقها على ارض الواقع.

أن لجنة العريضة النسائية لتأمل أن يكون الاحتفال بالذكرى الستين للإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان بادرة طيبة لإقرار مشروع قانون الأحوال الشخصية بمملكة البحرين. فمشروع قانون الاحوال الشخصية هو مطلب شعبي كونه سيعزز دور المرأة في المجتمع وسينصفها ويرفع الظلم عنها. وفي الوقت ذاته تأمل أن تكرس الجهود نحو إقرار ذلك المشروع. ولجنة العريضة النسائية من منطلق حرصها على إقرار المشروع فإنها تؤيد جميع الجهود التي تبذل لأجل إظهار القانون إلى حيز الوجود. وترى أن معارضة بعض القوى لتلك الجهود لن تؤتي ثمارها خاصة في ظل المطالبة الشعبية المتزايدة لاقرار مشروع القانون.

وختاماً فان لجنة العريضة النسائية تغتنم فرصة الاحتفال بالذكرى الستين للاعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان لتحيي جميع القوى التي تعمل لأجل تعزيز حقوق الإنسان وبخاصة حقوق المرأة. كما تتمنى أن تكون هذه الذكرى بداية لتكاتف الجميع لاقرار مشروع قانون الاحوال الشخصية في مملكة البحرين.

غادة جمشير
رئيسة لجنة العريضة النسائية
تليفون: 0097339680807
http://bahrain-eve.blogspot.com/
مملكة البحرين


A Statement by Women's Petition Committee


WPC Statement on International Human Rights Day

We are witnessing this year the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at a time the issues of human rights are important on the international level, particularly developing countries. This occasion should be a beacon for us to promote human rights concepts and noble values. We are confident that any move designed to spread and strengthen a culture of human rights will enhance the importance of the Declaration. The Women's Petition Committee in Kingdom of Bahrain supports this trend, at the same time emphasizing the need to adhere to the dissemination of culture, in accordance with internationally agreed standards. With the celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is incumbent on all to consolidate the concepts that are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by highlighting the values and principles that are enshrined in the Declaration and its application on the ground.

The Women's Petition Committee hopes that the commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be a good sign for passing of a personal status law in Bahrain. The draft personal status law is a popular demand that will strengthen the role of women in society and eliminate all injustice they suffer. At the same time we hope for devoting efforts towards adopting this project. While, the Women's Petition Committee is eager to support the adoption of the draft law, it supports all efforts to bring the law into existence. We believe that some forces that oppose those efforts will not bear fruit, especially in light of the growing public demand to pass the bill.

Finally, The Women's Petition Committee takes advantage of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to pay tribute to all the forces working for the promotion of human rights and especially women's rights. It also hopes that this anniversary to be the beginning of a collective efforts to work on the approval of the draft personal status law in Bahrain.

Ghada Jamsheer
Head of the Women's Petition Committee
Tel: 0097339680807
http://bahrain-eve.blogspot.com/
Kingdom of Bahrain

Bahraini Activist Ghada Jamsheer Participates in the 11th AWID International Forum in Cape Town 14th-17th November 2008.

Bahraini Activist Ghada Jamsheer Participates in the 11th AWID International Forum in Cape Town 14th-17th November, 2008


Bahraini human rights activist, Ghada Jamsheer, took part at the 11th AWID International Forum in Cape Town in the period between 14th-17th November, 2008. The Forum was held with the participation of 2200 women from all over the world, including the Nobel Award winner Shireen Abadi, by an invitation from Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID).

And this year's forum focused on discussing issues of women living under Islamic provisions, common goals and different strategies. The Forum was an opportunity for cooperation and rapprochement of ideas and experiences; There was an opportunity to present national experiences and achievements made by women at the national level and the obstacles that limit the rights and development. The Forum participated in 34 delegations from Muslim countries, and the Forum was formed of NGOs.

The objective of the forum was to highlight the role of Muslim women through the panel defecated for women in Muslim countries, as well as treatments of women, which is crucial to address the status of women on the light of their heritage and values.

The participants were distributed into groups such as: * panel on finance and donors * panel on Forum priority issues * panel on religious fundamentalism and all religions and philosophies, as well as secular philosophy and the mechanism .. under the title " Why secularism in women issues".

This forum was marked by its multi-axis, themes and the most focused effort to examine the situation of women in developing countries such as in African, Latin and Asian countries, in addition to other issues such as women in Islam, which focused on the efforts to examine the sources of Islamic laws involved, and issues of interpretation and what is resulting of a multiplicity of views led to differences and conflicts between the leaders of intellectual trends and sects.

Ghada Jamsheer also participated in a visit to the prison of the former South African President Nelson Mandela in Robbin Island.


Bahrain: Women's Petition Committee
28 November 2008

For more information please contact:

Ghada Jamsheer
Head of the Women's Petition Committee
Tel: 0097339680807

Kingdom of Bahrain