Ambassador Huda Nonoo

The leadership of Ambassador Huda Nonoo, Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United States from 2008 to 2013 and the Arab’s world’s first Jewish Ambassador to the U.S., is a symbol of Bahrain’s interest in supporting dialogue on cultural acceptance and peace-building worldwide.

A Timeline of Women’s Achievement in Bahrain

• 2001 – The “Supreme Council for Women,” a group of 14 women policy advisors, is formed by the Amir’s wife, Shaikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.
• 2002 – Women obtained the right to vote and run for office in national elections
• 2004 – Dr. Nada Haffadh became Bahrain’s first appointed female minister when she became Bahrain’s Health Minister.
• 2006 – Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa was appointed as president of the United Nations General Assembly, becoming the first Middle Eastern woman and the third woman to be the head of the body. Eighteen women ran for seats in Parliament in the November 2006 elections, including Lateefa Al Gaood who became Bahrain’s first female in the legislature.
• 2008 – Ambassador Huda Nonoo was appointed by Bahrain as Ambassador to the United States. She was the Arab world’s first Jewish ambassador to the United States.
• 2018 – Fawzia Zainal elected as the first female Speaker of the Council of Representatives by Bahrain’s Parliament in a year when a record number of women were elected as representatives in Parliament.