This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001115 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PI, NEA/PPD AND ECA/PE/V/G/N 
CAIRO FOR STEVE BONDY 
LONDON FOR ETHAN GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PHUM KMPI OEXC BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN WOMEN'S SOCIETY - SUPPORTING WOMEN AND 
CHILDREN THROUGHOUT BAHRAINI SOCIETY 
 
REF: A. MANAMA 799 
     ¶B. MANAMA 312 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  The Bahrain Women's Society (BWS) has emerged 
as a leader among Bahrain's NGOs.  Through its highly 
successful outreach programs BWS enables women to assume 
leading roles in society, and increase social awareness of 
issues relating to children, education and the environment. 
This group of Shi'a women has developed a strategic plan to 
contribute to improving social development.  These agents of 
change are open to new ideas and welcome any initiatives that 
implement democratic reform.  On March 3 BWS leaders Drs. 
Wajeeha Al Baharna and Soroor Qarooni met with U/S Grossman 
(see ref b). END SUMMARY. 
 
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BAHRAIN WOMEN'S SOCIETY 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  In 2001, Dr. Wajeeha Sadiq Al Baharna established BWS and 
developed a strategic plan to touch different factions of 
society with unique and qualitative programs.  In three short 
years, the BWS has left a clear mark on Bahraini society, 
especially for women.  BWS's main goals are to enable women 
to assume a leading role in society, to achieve social 
justice, increase social awareness of issues relating to 
child abuse and neglect, consolidate a sense of environmental 
citizenship in individuals and society as a whole, and 
contribute to the drafting and improvement of laws relating 
to social development.  PD has close contact with BWS since 
its inception.  BWS welcomes financial support/grants from 
Embassy Manama.  BWS funded two board members to take English 
at ACEC to increase their level of fluency to engage in 
international conferences. 
 
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SUPPORTING ABUSED WOMEN AND CHILDREN - BE FREE PROJECT 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶3.  Dr. Al Baharna told PolOff on March 13 that the society 
has made children a top priority.  Its &Be Free8 project 
focuses on protecting children from abuse and neglect. 
Project Director Dr. Soroor Qarooni solicited the Crown 
Prince,s wife Shaikha Hala bint Duaij Al Khalifa's 
involvement to launch the project on March 19, 2002.  The 
project is divided into three phases.  The first stage 
focuses on educating the child by identifying at-risk 
populations, building awareness about dangerous locales, 
teaching them how to identify suspects and what to do if 
someone attempts to abuse them.  The second stage involves 
teaching children basic daily practices to strengthen their 
character and increase their self-esteem.  The final stage is 
provision of continual support to victims by studying child 
legislation in the Kingdom and inaugurating the first of its 
kind in the Middle East - a &Be Free8 center.  In 
conjunction with the program's final phase, the Society 
established a hotline to field domestic abuse calls.  In 
December 2003, Post provided a small PD grant for NGO 
development of BWS board members and volunteers. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
EMPOWERING WOMEN - BWS WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT PROJECT 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4.  Dr. Baharna told PolFSN on April 16 that empowering women 
is a necessity of modern societies.  Al Baharna briefed 
PolFSN on BWS Women's Advancement Project that attempts to 
develop, employ, and invest in human capacity because women 
constitute 50 percent of Bahraini society.  Project Director 
Ibtisam Zaid launched the project in July 2003, laying down 
the goals of developing women,s self-esteem and increasing 
educational qualifications, awareness of women,s issues, 
legal awareness with respect to women's social role, 
awareness of the concept of gender roles. 
 
¶5.  BWS achieved its projects goals by holding seminars and 
conferences, disseminating a new culture for women through 
the society's publications and local press, cooperating with 
local governmental and non-governmental institutions to 
eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, and 
participating in local radio and television shows which 
address women,s issues. 
 
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EDUCATIONAL REFORM - ENVIRONMENTAL CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6.  Al Baharna told EmbOffs on April 11 that previously she 
considered educational reform an impossible task, citing that 
the Ministry of Education does not have a mechanism for 
parental, teacher or concerned citizen input to the 
curriculum.  With rising unemployment and recognition that 
children are not learning the skills needed to compete in a 
future job market, BWS decided to take action and develop the 
Environmental Citizenship program.  Project Director Saba Al 
Asfoor developed an after-school activities program from 
children to learn more about the environment and science.  By 
taking an "after-school" approach, the Ministry of Education 
did not object.  The program was met with rave reviews from 
the teachers, children and parents.  BWS was unable to keep 
up with demand.  Dr. Baharna reported that now the Ministry 
of Education has invited BWS to partake in ministerial 
meetings on its science curriculum for the upcoming year. 
Lending to its credibility, BWS now sits on Bahrain's 
National Environmental Commission. 
 
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EMPOWERING DISABLED CHILDREN - WHITE HAND PROJECT 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶7.  With the approval of the former Minister of Health Dr. 
Faisal Al Mousawi, Project Director Feryal Al Sairafi 
established the "White Hand" project in September 2002.  Not 
only does the project provide academic instruction to 
children who suffer from debilitating diseases and are 
usually confined to their beds, but it helps discover and 
enhance a child's other talents so they can remain active. 
BWS implemented this project in the pediatric wards of 
Bahrain's hospitals.  US Fulbright scholars have volunteered 
with White Hand. 
 
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INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Since 2002 Post nominated four BWS members to participate 
in the International Visitors Program (IVP).  In June 2002 
Dr. Baharna went on the Global Environmental Issues IVP. In 
February 2003 Dr. Qarooni participated in the IVP on 
Promoting Effective NGO Leadership for Women.  Both women 
have told PolOff that the opportunity to meet their 
counterparts and experience America first-hand was priceless. 
 Both came home to Bahrain inspired to delve into issues that 
appeared daunting in the past.  Saba Al Asfoor and Nadia Al 
Alawi went on leadership programs.  All board members have 
told PAO and EmbOffs that they rely on IVP contacts for 
advice, support and exchange of new ideas. Dr. Al Baharna now 
reaches out to international organizations without 
hesitation. Her experience has benefitted BWS greatly. 
 
¶9.  During a May 12 meeting with EmbOFFS, Dr. Al Baharna, 
expressed her desire to strengthen cooperation between the 
BWS and other women,s societies in the Kingdom.  She also 
encouraged governmental agencies to embark on this drive that 
is in keeping with the King,s reform process and will help 
establish a modern and democratic society.  At the May 12 
meeting EmbOffs introduced Drs. Al Baharna and Qarooni to 
President of the Textile Union, Kadija Attiya.  They offered 
Attiya BWS' support in her campaign to save garment industry 
jobs that are held by conservative Shi'a women (see ref a). 
Dr. Baharna told PolOff on June 8 that she is planning to 
present this issue to the Bahrain Women's Federation so she 
can involve as many women organizations as possible to help 
Attiya. 
 
¶10.  COMMENT:  The Bahrain Women's Society's membership 
totals approximately 50-65 women who genuinely care to 
improve the conditions of Bahraini women and children. 
Although the leadership dresses conservatively and wear 
hijabs (head scarves) they are agents of change - extremely 
open to new ideas and welcome any initiatives that would 
implement real democratic reforms in Bahrain.  On March 2003, 
Drs. Al Baharna and Qarooni met with U/S Grossman to make 
clear that even though human rights conditions have greatly 
improved, the GOB still needs to improve its record on 
discrimination, poverty and education and start taking NGOs 
seriously. (see ref b) Bahrain is fortunate to have the BWS. 
 
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BWS Board 
--------- 
 
President, Dr. Wajeeha Sadiq Baharna 
Vice President, Nadia Al Alawi 
Board Secretary, Mina Khadhmi 
Treasurer, Rana Al Sairafi 
Be Free Project, Dr. Soroor Qarooni 
Environmental Citizen Project, Saba Al Asfoor 
White Hand Project, Feryal Al Sairafi 
Women's Advancement Project, Ibtisam Zaid 
Media & Public Relations, A,dham Abbas 
Board Member, Shereen Asiri 
Board Member, Fadheela Hammad 
Board Member, Najeeba Sayed Sharaf 
 
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BWS INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATIONS 
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BWS is an active member of several international bodies 
including: 
The Arab Network of Nongovernmental Organizations, Cairo 
Arab Network for Adult Learning and Eradicating Illiteracy, 
Cairo 
The Arab Environment and Development Network, Cairo 
Earth Day Network, New York 
Arab Bureau for Guidance with No Limits, Amman 
World Association of Non-governmental Organizations, 
Washington DC 
WILLIAMSON