Since its establishment in 2023, the Gender Theme Group (GTG) of the Bahrain UN Country Team (UNCT) has been driving efforts to enhance gender mainstreaming efforts across the UN’s work in Bahrain. With a commitment to achieving tangible results for women and girls, the GTG recently held a two-day strategic retreat to review achievements and set ambitious priorities for 2025.

UN Women and United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) as co-chairs of the GTG, led the retreat with the participation of  UN-Habitat, OHCHR, IOM, UN Information Center (UNIC) and WHO and with the support of the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO),

The retreat kicked off with a review of the GTG workplan 2024 implementation and progress on the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard (GES). The group assessed the annual workplan to identify advancements in integrating a gender perspective into the UNCT joint work. Based on this progress, the GTG drafted the Scorecard annual report, selecting five performance indicators to demonstrate improvements in the UNCT’s collective efforts on gender equality . During the retreat, UN Women introduced the GTG study conducted this year to calculate members’ staff time contribution to the GTG, and which offered key recommendations to strengthen GTG capacity to drive gender results for the UNCT’s joint work. Drawing on the results of the study and other insights, the GTG developed key actions to include in the team’s 2025 workplan.

On the second day, UN Women facilitated capacity building sessions to support the GTG in implementing its workplan in line with the global standard and procedures for Gender Theme Groups. The training included a refresher on the Gender Equality Marker (GEM), a tool to assess resource allocation in activities in the UN Country Team Joint Workplan that promote gender equality. An introductory session on Gender Mainstreaming followed, providing guidance on how UN agencies can more effectively integrate gender equality perspectives in their programming. Additionally, a session on gender-based results monitoring and reporting was conducted to examine gender-responsive monitoring structure and explore practical methods for including measurement for gender-related changes to the indicators.

The retreat reinforced the GTG’s role in driving accountability and building capacity for UN gender-responsive programming within the UNCT. As Bahrain continues to advance gender equality in line with Sustainable Development Goal 5, the GTG remains committed to achieving cohesive, transformative results for women and girls, contributing to the broader realization of the SDGs.

“Building on this year’s achievements, the GTG will ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment remain central to the UNCT’s joint work in Bahrain bolstered by the technical training conducted during the retreat. The GTG’s collective efforts will ensure that the UN Country Team is able to collaborate effectively with our national partners and contribute to the national development priorities of the Kingdom of Bahrain around women’s empowerment and the Beijing Platform for Action” said Josephine Moss, GTG co-chair and Regional Coordination Specialist from UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States.

With a clear roadmap for 2025, the GTG is poised to strengthen its impact on gender equality, ensuring that the UN’s work in Bahrain remains inclusive, effective, and aligned with global standards.

Manama, Bahrain - "Why? You're a girl. Why would you subject yourself to such physicality?" These questions have followed Nadeen Yateem throughout her journey to become Bahrain's first female Muay Thai fighter. Growing up, sports were always a big part of Nadeen’s life, but martial arts did not have a strong presence in her culture. That changed when she discovered Muay Thai in high school.

Fascinated by the intense discipline and athleticism of the sport, Nadeen dove headfirst into training. What began as a hobby and fitness routine during university evolved into a burning passion, Nadeen was surrounded by inspirational fighters committed to perfecting their talent. She soon stepped into the ring herself, determined to excel in competitions on the regional and global stage.

The road has not been easy. Nadeen has faced skepticism and criticism from a society that frowns upon women entering aggressive, male-dominated activities. "In a world where family, society, and even strangers have questioned my choices,” she recounts many urging her to “embrace her feminity.”

Nadeen insists that being a fighter does not diminish that femininity in any way. On the contrary, Muay Thai has been an empowering form of expression. "What drew me into this sport is its detachment from emotion. It is not personal. It is a disciplined art form," she declares. Today, as the first Bahraini woman to reach a professional status in Muay Thai, Nadeen hopes to inspire other girls to fearlessly pursue their passions, no matter how unconventional. Her achievement is a deeply personal one rooted in improving herself, not outdoing others. "It’s not about competing, it’s more about leveling up my skills and becoming better," Nadeen says.

Through her athletic achievements and national recognition, Nadeen has created vital representation for ambitious young women and girls who may have previously felt excluded. "Statements like 'male-dominated' and other exclusive labels should not be a barrier for women to take the opportunity towards growth and self-development," she adds.

As Nadeen emphasizes,“Advocating for women does not have to take grand gestures.” Simple acts, she believes, like encouraging other women to pursue their passions or mentoring the next generation of women fighters can have meaningful impact. She has also raised her voice in global forums such as TEDxManamaWomen to directly address gender inequality in regional sports.

In her career, Nadeen has inevitably faced multiple challenges - from men refusing to train with her based on the assumption that women are inherently "weak," to colleagues taking it easy on her as a result of the same misguided stereotypes about female fragility.

But with the support of a coach who rejects traditional stereotypes and her own determination to prove the capabilities of women time and again, Nadeen continues to smash barriers and serve as an inspirational force for women athletes across the Arab world. Her example vividly demonstrates that being a top athlete has no gender.

Nadeen Yateem’s journey is one of perseverance in the face of adversity, fueled by a solid commitment to excellence. She paves the way for Bahraini women to enter spaces that were not made for them, but which they can boldly claim as their own. Hers is a journey of kicking down limits, one round at a time.