Bahrain: UNDP to launch more projects in Bahrain

UNDP to launch more projects in Bahrain
By Suad Hamada (Our correspondent)

MANAMA - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is about to launch more projects in partnership with its development players in Bahrain.

"We are sharing good relations with Bahrain government and NGOs and more joint projects will be launched with civic organisations in the future," the Resident Representative of the UNDP Sayed Aqa said.

The UNDP is building on the success of microfinance project that was launched in 2003to finance businesses of small entrepreneurs. The organisation has been collaborating with three societies and three more would be included soon, he said, while highlighting that the three-year budget of the project is $1.4 million.

In regards to gender equality, Aqa highlighted the UNDP's great role in this area through its ongoing cooperation with the state-run Supreme Council for Women (SCW) as the official women protection body in Bahrain as well as women’s societies. He highlighted UNDP's participation in gender equality conference last month.

Aqa said initiatives for economic empowerment of women would be launched in association with the SCW in the coming months while the political empowerment of women will start with a series of training and programmes from the beginning of 2009 to prepare women candidates for 2010 election.

Aqa pledged his organisation’s continuous support to the government, private sector, trade unions, NGOs and media in achieving the Kingdom's development and UN millennium goals.

Aqa congratulated the Kingdom for winning a seat in the United Nations' Human Rights Council and said that such achievement reflects Bahrain's commitment to enhance its human rights record. “Bahrain has what it needed to develop its human rights foundations and that could be achieved through joint efforts between all segments of society."

He explained that human rights shouldn't be linked to politics and shouldn't become part of politicians' agendas.

Aqa highlighted the essentiality of human rights by pointing out that sustainable development couldn't be achieved if human rights principles are being violated.

"UNDP is helping the government and NGOs to reach their development goals through motivating them to integrate human rights in all initiatives by adopting human rights-based approaches.

---Khaleej Times Online, July 2, 2008