Gender Equality: Developing Nations

Debate between Baroness Northover and Baroness Manzoor

Thursday 5th March 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

I fully agree.

[Baroness Manzoor (LD)]

My Lords, the law is unequally applied in Bahrain between Sunni women and Shia women in areas such as inheritance, divorce, child custody and domestic disputes. What are the Government doing to address these issues with the Bahraini Government, and if they have had any discussions, what are the timescales for addressing these terrible injustices and inequalities?

[Baroness Northover]

There is inequality for women everywhere. The Foreign Office, as part of its work particularly on International Women’s Day, is engaging with those countries where these problems are particularly acute. In the case of Bahrain, the ambassador is holding a round table with a number of Bahraini women from all walks of life to discuss these issues.