In Bahrain, since the 2011 pro-democracy uprisings, protests have been violently crushed, activists unjustly detained, and voices systematically silenced. Women have borne the brunt of this repression.

The European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, together with Americans for Democracy and Human Rights, launches the Daughters of the Resistance campaign. This initiative honors the women of Bahrain who have endured years of militarized crackdowns and confronted their devastating effects, whether as leaders at the forefront of demonstrations or as mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives facing reprisals for the dissent of their loved ones.

Despite proclaiming gender equality in its constitution and ratifying the United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), systemic discrimination persists in Bahrain. The government’s reservations to the convention hollow out its commitments, while discriminatory laws leave women vulnerable even within their own families.

Those who resist these injustices are brutally silenced. Peaceful protests are met with ruthless retaliation, and women demonstrators risk rape, assault, and even death at the hands of security forces. Even when they turn to digital spaces, women activists cannot escape repression. Online, women face relentless harassment, smear campaigns that attack their character and sexuality, and surveillance through spyware that compromises their safety and privacy. These threats risk materializing into real-world harm.

In Bahrain, repression is further codified into law. The Penal Code, Anti-Terrorism Law, and Cybercrime Law use vague definitions to conflate criticism with terrorism, justifying disproportionate punishments under the guise of national security. Independent journalism has been dismantled through restrictive licensing, while the Civil Associations and Political Isolation laws strip activists and civil societies of their right to organize and participate in politics.

The price of dissent is severe. Dissidents are often arrested without warrants, and women in particular are subjected to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse during interrogations, coerced into confessions through threats against themselves or their families. This was exemplified during the 2011 protests, when over 330 women were arrested. Among them was Fadhila Al Mubarak, the first woman to be charged and convicted of inciting hatred against the regime for playing revolutionary songs. Rula al-Saffar, a nurse, and Dr. Nada Dhaif were imprisoned for providing medical care to injured demonstrators. Additionally, three female members of the Bahrain Teachers’ Association were arrested after calling for a strike to demand reforms. In prison, conditions are deplorable, with overcrowded, unsanitary cells, restricted medical care, and constant harassment by guards.

Although no women are currently imprisoned in Bahrain on political grounds, punishment persists beyond prison walls, and their rights remain heavily restricted. Women dissidents are still routinely summoned for intimidating interrogations and subjected to short-term detentions under fabricated charges, tactics designed to deter future activism and assemblies. Many and their families live in fear of arbitrary travel bans imposed without judicial oversight. Meanwhile, others are stripped of citizenship, rendered stateless, or deported into exile, deliberately cut off from their homes and families in clear violation of international law. In Bahrain, reprisals extend beyond individuals, placing entire families under threat.

Despite this relentless repression, Bahraini women continue to resist with extraordinary courage, even as their voices are punished and silenced. Journalist in exile Nazeeha Saeed has remained committed to exposing the truths the government seeks to conceal, despite being detained, tortured, subjected to a travel ban, and having her press license revoked to impede her work. Similarly, human rights defender Zeinab al-Khamees has faced threats, repeated summons, and travel restrictions simply for exercising her right to free speech.

The Daughters of the Resistance campaign calls on all of us to amplify their stories and ensure their struggles are not forgotten. Join the movement. Like, share, and retweet using #DaughtersofResistanceBH to stand with the women of Bahrain who remain symbols of resilience, defiance, and the persistent pursuit of justice.

The post Daughters of the Resistance Campaign: ECDHR & ADHRB’s Stand with Bahrain’s Women appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.