US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1179

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2015 
TAGS: PINR, PGOV, KWMN, BA 
SUBJECT: WOMEN MINISTERS SET POSITIVE PRECEDENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 137596 
     B. MANAMA 982 
     C. MANAMA 943 
     D. MANAMA 165 
 
Classified By: CDA Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C)  Bahrain's two women ministers are setting a positive 
example for women's leadership in Bahrain.  Minister of 
Health Dr. Nada Abbas Haffadh, who was appointed in April 
2004, and Dr. Fatima Al Balooshi, appointed in January 2005, 
are the first women to serve in Bahrain's cabinet.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Minister of Health Dr. Nada Abbas Haffadh 
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2.  (C) Dr. Nada Abbas Haffadh, the first female member of 
Bahrain's cabinet, was appointed Minister of Health on April 
21, 2004.  Before serving as minister, she was a member of 
the appointed upper house of parliament, the Shura Council. 
During her time in the Shura, she was one of the more 
outspoken and impressive members and was viewed by many as a 
natural choice for Minister of Health.   A medical doctor, 
Haffadh served in the Ministry of Health for a number of 
years prior to her appointment as minister and was highly 
regarded for her contributions to public health.  People who 
know Haffadh say she is loyal to the government, but 
committed to reform.  As Minister, she has made significant 
personnel changes within the ministry without regard to sect. 
 In parliamentary hearings, she is more frank than most 
cabinet members and acknowledges deficiencies in the GOB and 
in her ministry and the need for reform.  Some of the issues 
she has addressed before parliament include the effects of 
corporate pollution on public health, emergency health 
services, and hygiene in beauty salons. 
 
3.  (C) Haffadh was born on September 27, 1957 in Manama, 
Bahrain.  She completed her M.D. and several related degrees 
at universities in Europe and the Middle East, including the 
American University of Beirut.  Haffadh is married with three 
children and does not wear the hijab.  The Haffadhs are Ajam 
Shi'as.  (Note:  The Ajam Shi'a are of Persian origin and 
originally came to Bahrain as merchants.  They represent 
approximately ten percent of the total population of Bahrain 
and are generally more pro-government than Shi'a of Bahraini 
origin.  End Note.)  The GOB includes some Shi'a in the 
Cabinet.  Non-strategic posts, such as the Ministry of 
Health, are often informally reserved for Shi'as, leaving 
Sunnis to head the strategic ministries. 
 
4.  (C) Haffadh has traveled to the U.S. on numerous 
occasions and speaks fluent Arabic and English.  According to 
her resume, in 2004 she attended a conference in Qatar 
entitled Relations of the Islamic World with the U.S.  In 
2003, she participated in a MEPI-sponsored National 
Democratic Institute (NDI) conference on legislative 
drafting.  Also in 2003, Haffadh traveled to the U.S. in her 
capacity as a Shura Council member and met with members of 
Congress.  She has met informally with the Ambassador and DCM. 
 
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Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Fatima Al Balooshi 
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5.  (C) Dr. Fatima Mohammed Yousif Al Balooshi was appointed 
Minister of Social Affairs on January 14, 2005.  In the eight 
years prior to her appointment as minister, she was the dean 
of Bahrain University's College of Education.  In a meeting 
with the Ambassador shortly after she was appointed, Al 
Balooshi said that she was pleased, but also very surprised, 
that the King asked her to serve as Minister.  She said she 
was quite happy at the university and had not expected to 
leave academia.  Al Balooshi told the Ambassador she was 
eager to implement programs that would help Bahrainis, and 
she has already led a number of initiatives to assist persons 
with disabilities and other disadvantaged people.  Al 
Balooshi told the Ambassador in June that she is not as 
comfortable dealing with political issues as she is with the 
core work of her Ministry (Ref B).  Social Affairs is the 
body that officially registers and regulates the activities 
of civil society organizations and, as such, Al Balooshi is 
ultimately responsible for decisions to punish or sanction 
these groups.  In early July she ordered the Islamic Action 
Society closed for 45 days (Ref C) and has dealt with 
requests from members of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights 
(which was closed and dissolved by her predecessor in 
September 2004) to reopen.  When it comes to political 
issues, contacts complain Al Balooshi is a "yes woman" for 
the GOB. 
 
6.  (C) Al Balooshi was born in Bahrain on November 19, 1963. 
 She is from a large Sunni family and is married with several 
children.  Her brother, Dr. Nasser Al Balooshi, was recently 
appointed Bahraini ambassador to the U.S.  She speaks fluent 
Arabic and English and wears the hijab.  Al Balooshi was an 
Eisenhower Fellow and received a Masters degree and Ph.D. in 
Instructional and Media Technology from Columbia University 
in New York.  She completed her undergraduate studies at the 
University of Concordia in Canada.  Al Balooshi, who has met 
with the Ambassador on several occasions, has told the 
Ambassador that she often reflects on her experiences in the 
U.S. when designing social service programs for Bahrain (Ref 
D). 
 
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Comment 
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7.  (C) Bahrain's two women ministers are proving that women 
can contribute to the development of the country.  When 
discussing the participation of women in the 2006 elections, 
people from the government and opposition alike often cite 
Haffadh and Al Balooshi as examples of women who are highly 
capable in leadership roles. 
 
ZIADEH