The Next Century Foundation expresses concern at women’s inability to pass citizenship to their offspring due to Article 4 of the Kingdom Bahrain’s Decree Law Number 12 amending the Bahraini Citizenship Act of 1963. The NCF argues for the expansion of this article to forbid discrimination based on sex. Article 4 stipulates that a person is deemed a citizen if the father is a Bahrain national. The only way for women’s past citizenship is the paternity is unknown or unproven. This discrimination is not in line with Bahrain’s 2002 Constitution which declared that women and men are equal in political, social and economic spheres. We appeal to Bahrain to reword this article so the child of any Bahrain national is a citizen. The NCF notes Article 16 of the United Nations Declaration of Rights which states that “men and women, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.” Although similar laws exist in neighbouring countries, we observe that Bahrain takes the lead in women’s rights in many respects in the region. The NCF acknowledges the granting of citizenship to children by Qing Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and the 2019 decree that these children receive access to health and education. Pointing to the commendable campaigns of the Bahrain Women’s Union, we are hopeful that their Memorandum of Understanding with the Supreme Council of Women will fulfil its purpose of eliminating discrimination. As 2022 is an election year and Bahrain has acknowledged the desire to negotiate a MOU with the Human Rights Council, we feel that this presents an opportunity. As parliament is currently suspended, this source of discrimination could be eliminated by royal decree. Thank you.