Bahrain names GCC's first female judge

Manama: Mona Jasem Al Kawari made history on Tuesday by becoming the first female judge in the GCC region. According to Royal Order No 15, Al Kawari will be a judge in the High Civil Court.

"This is a historic day for women in Bahrain and in the Gulf and I hope that it will be a great step forward for all women keen on making headway in a profession hitherto confined to men," Mona said in her first press statement following the appointment.

She paid rich tribute to King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa for the groundbreaking move, saying that it was totally consistent with his vision to empower women in the judiciary field.

"King Hamad in 2002 appointed women to the public prosecution office, reflecting Bahrain's commitment to encouraging the presence of women in the judiciary in line with international conventions," said Mona, a professional lawyer who was among three women appointed to the public prosecution that year.

Her appointment as judge will herald a new era for women in the field, she said. "I am sure that more women will be appointed as judges, just like I am confident that they will be highly competent and dependable in the new position," said Mona, who has a son.

"This appointment will put me under pressure, but I will draw on my experience accumulated through studies, practice and intensive training sessions," she said.

Her appointment comes two days before another Bahraini woman, Ambassador Haya Bint Rashed Al Khalifa will be officially named in New York the next president of the UN General Assembly.

History

- The first female judge in Tunisia was appointed in 1968.

- The chief justice in ancient Egypt was a goddess named Maat, but in modern Egypt Tahany Al Gebaly was nominated judge only in 2003.

- Taghreed Hikmat became Jordan's first female judge in 1996.