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For more than two decades, women in Bahrain have struggled to raise awareness of domestic violence. The Kingdom has no laws or government policies to address violence against women and a draft law that would establish penalties has been languishing in the parliament for years. To push the issue, the Bahrain Women’s Union (BWU), an association of 12 women's organizations, launched an advocacy campaign on Dec. 11 for a domestic violence law, which has been a priority for the union since its founding in 2001.
The Kingdom has seen a sharp increase in domestic violence reports in the past four years, according to Bahrain’s Batelco Anti-Domestic Violence Against Women Center. Cases increased from 1,316 in 2006 to 2,201 in 2008, for example.
On Dec. 11, the BWU organized a march in Manama, the capital, to demonstrate public support for a new law. More than 100 people took part, The BWU also started a drive to gather citizen signatures on a petition for parliamentary action, which will also be presented to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
The next day, the BWU held a roundtable for members of parliament (MPs) representing the appointed Shura and the elected Nuwab councils as well as government officials, lawyers and about 35 civil society activists. Participants discussed the need for legislation to address domestic violence, the cultural and social roots of the problem and the frequency of domestic violence in Bahrain. After the roundtable BWU members met individually with MPs to press for legal reform. The union is also developing a video to help educate the public on domestic violence.
In advance of the advocacy campaign, NDI supported the BWU through workshops and technical assistance as part of its larger effort to support Bahraini civil society organizations seeking to engage elected officials. NDI conducted an October session where participants refined their advocacy plan and created a strategy for reaching key decision makers and allies, and dealing with opponents. At follow-up meetings in November, NDI provided BWU leaders with technical assistance as they planned the campaign and the MPs roundtable.
Pictured above:The Bahrain Women’s Union and members of parliament from Bahrain discuss the domestic violence law at the roundtable late last year.
