King Hamad appoints 11 women in Bahrain parliament

Manama: Bahrain's King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa on Wednesday appointed 11 women, including one Christian and one Jew, to the 40-member upper chamber of the bicameral parliament.

The strength of women representatives in the Shura Council has risen by one with the latest appointments and indicates the steady increase in their numbers since the constitutional system was reinvigorated by King Hamad following a three-decade hiatus.

Bahrain is home to a few hundred Christians and 40 Jews out of a total native population of 530,000.

The Shura Council, whose members are appointed by the king, has since 2002 had a large number of women and representatives of the country's minorities, unlike the lower chamber where all elected members are Muslims.

In a separate royal order, King Hamad appointed Ali Saleh Al Saleh chairman of the Consultative Council of the upper chamber, a post he held through the previous legislative term.

The first session of the parliament is expected to be held in mid-December.

The 11 women members in the upper chamber are Bahiya Al Jishi, Jameela Ali Salman, Dalal Al Zayed, Rabab Al Arayyedh, Sameera Rajab, Aisha Salem Mubarak, Lulwa Al Awadi, Muneera Bin Hindi, Nancy Kedhoury, Nada Haffadh and Hala Ramzi Fayez.