National events: Bahraini women are a strategic partner in development and a fundamental pillar in building the economy of the future

Heba Mohsen

An elite group of officials, economists and businesswomen confirmed that the role of Bahraini women is witnessing a qualitative shift in the path of economic development, as their participation is no longer limited to traditional roles, but rather they have become a pivotal partner in formulating policies, leading vital sectors, and moving the wheel of national investment, indicating that Bahraini women have gone beyond the stage of empowerment to reach the stage of actual leadership in the labor market.

They told Al-Watan that national visions and supportive government policies contributed to enhancing women’s presence in the financial, technical, health and educational sectors, and impressive progress in leadership and executive positions, which reflects the amount of confidence in their abilities and competence.

The President of the International Federation of Bahraini Business and Professional Women, Sheikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa, said that Bahraini women play a vital role in the economic investment sector, as they have been able in recent years to record remarkable achievements.

In turn, Representative Dr. confirmed Maryam Al-Dhaen said that Bahraini women have today become a major element in the economic and investment movement of the Kingdom, noting that their participation has extended to being an effective partner in formulating policies and moving vital sectors.

For his part, Chairman of the Finance and Economic Committee of the House of Representatives, Representative Ahmed Al-Salloum, confirmed that Bahraini women have demonstrated a strong and influential presence in the economic sector, and have become an essential partner in the comprehensive development process.

In turn, Economic Advisor Mohammed Al-Moussawi pointed to the remarkable progress in Bahraini women’s participation in the economy, explaining that their participation rate in the workforce reached 42.96% according to World Bank data for the year 2024.

However, the gap remains clear in leadership positions, with women representing only 21.5% of the total workforce in 2023, which requires taking steps to increase their representation. Vice President of the Bahrain Society for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Kholoud Al-Qattan, said that 39% of small enterprises in Bahrain are managed by women, and that about 80% of commercial records bore women’s names, which reflects the active role of Bahraini women in business leadership and management.

She called for the need to enhance the representation of women in leadership positions and provide accurate data on their participation in investment, which contributes to achieving greater inclusiveness of Bahraini women in all aspects of the economy. In turn, businesswoman Ahlam Janahi stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain continues to emphasize the vital role of women as a key partner in economic development, as women constitute 60% of participants in the government sector, while their percentage in the private sector is about 36%.

She pointed out that the percentage of women’s participation in economic activity and entrepreneurship has increased significantly, confirming the improvement of Bahrain’s classification in the “Women, Business Activities and Law” Index 2024 issued by the World Bank, in which Bahrain obtained 100% in the entrepreneurship axis.

Meanwhile, Hanan bint Saif confirmed that Bahrain has witnessed, during 2025, a rise in the process of women’s excellence, as women have achieved remarkable progress in the fields of education, economics, professional work, entrepreneurship, and participation in decision-making, in addition to their growing presence in the sectors of technology, innovation, and the digital economy.