Anissa Naqrachi: "The conference of "She is the Peacemaker" highlights how women can be an effective part of soft power"
October 4, 2022, 10:04 am

Dr Anissa Nakrachi

Although some say that women in power tend to make wars citing examples from history such as Margaret Thatcher, the British PM who waged a war for the Falkland Islands, studies do show that women are more cooperative and less inclined to use hard power to solve problems.

Recently, the second edition of the International Conference on Arab and African Women Leaders in Spreading the Culture of Peace was held, from 9 to 11 September, entitled "She .. the Peacemaker" organized by the Noor Foundation for Solidarity with the Rural Woman.

Levant News shed light on the conference and interviewed Dr Anissa Nakrachi the president of the conference.

• What is the difference between the second and the first edition of the international conference, especially since this conference is the first of its kind in the region?

- The first edition of the conference was held between 6 and 8 March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the organizing body had to cancel the most important activities of the conference owing to the lockdown, although the participants and guests were there, therefore, we took protective measures and only did some simple activities such as signing and giving books, souvenirs and appreciation certificates.

The current edition was attended by more than thirty countries represented by prominent women figures, such as Her Highness Princess Dr Doaa bint Mohammed Azza from the KSA, Ms Aawatif Hayar, the Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family from the Kingdom of Morocco, and Ms Chantal Yellow Molobe, Special Adviser to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Minister for Gender, Children and the Family, delegations from Arab and international institutions and the Council of Ministers of Social Affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

In addition, many pioneering, academic female experts active in the Arab and African economic, intellectual, social, developmental and political fields, will discuss the role of Arab and African women in strengthening and developing the culture of peace, and coexistence for a better future.

How is the role of women shown in achieving and supporting development in all economic and social fields, as the conference aims, and do you remember now any examples?

The exchange of visions and experiences of the pioneering women in various fields shows the most important modern visions and developments to empower women, enhance their leadership and pioneering role in the Arab world and Africa and transfer their successful development experiences, thus, common positions on women's issues can be coordinated.

On the other hand, it is necessary to highlight and value the developments of the laws in the Kingdom of Morocco regarding the laws aimed at developing the financial and business system, encouraging investment, stimulating the economic cycle, supporting national contracting and other economic and social projects to support the kingdom's development.

• If the conference came out with recommendations, as we have read and seen. What are the new recommendations that the conference came up with compared to the previous recommendations? How effective is it on decision-makers in the Arab regimes?

- The participants reaffirm women's important role in preventing & resolving conflicts and building peace. The conference emphasises the importance of their equal contribution and full participation in all efforts aimed at maintaining and promoting peace & security and increasing their role in decision-making related to preventing conflicts and resolving them.

The conference affirms the need for the full application of international humanitarian law & international human rights law that protect girls' & women's rights during and after conflicts, the urgent need to mainstream the gender perspective in all multidimensional peacekeeping operations, recognises also the importance of specialized training for the protection of women & children in conflicts and taking into account their special needs and human rights.

We search for more ways to increase women's role in UN field operations, especially among military observers, civilian police, human rights and humanitarian personnel, take measures that support women's local peace initiatives, native peoples' attempts to resolve conflicts, measures that involve women in all mechanisms for implementing peace agreements and measures to protect the human rights of women and girls, especially those related to the constitution, the electoral system, the police and the judiciary.

We are interested in honouring and highlighting the honourable models of Arab women in supporting their societies and volunteering and community work.

We work to prompt governments to issue more laws supporting the empowerment and representation of the role of women in society in all development projects.

The conference aims at strengthening the rapprochement between humanitarian institutions and specialized community institutions in responding to emergency disasters and between the women's unions in all Arab countries to put initial concepts on how women can contribute to supporting their society during crises

A gender perspective in various fields of human activity in the media field has to be integrated.

Respecting the civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements, and taking into account the special needs of women and girls, especially when designing such camps and settlements.

Building the capacities of national mechanisms concerned with women to develop skills in conflict resolution and conflict management, and the development of national action plans to implement Security Council resolution 1325 regarding women, security and peace in the Arab countries.

Creating national and international partnerships between the formal structures and civil society organisations to gather the biggest number of supporters to implement the national strategy and the work plan for women through the conclusion of protocols and partnerships to benefit from the available funding opportunities and the countries' good work in this field.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.