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Parliamentary protégé Retaj Al Abbasi, recently-crowned Arab Parliament for the Child (APC) president, is the first Bahraini and the first female in the role, and hopes to inspire other young people across the kingdom to make a difference in their communities.
The 16-year-old student from Muharraq now leads 62 young members from 17 Arab countries as they deliberate concerns that are specifically relevant to children across the region.
Retaj was up against 12 APC members and was elected as president after receiving the most number of votes during the first session of the APC’s second-ever term, held last week.
“I have always been fascinated by legislation and through this role, I will have the honour and responsibility of voicing the concerns of Arab children across the MENA region,” the Grade 11 student at Hidd Secondary School for Girls told GulfWeekly.
“I’m honoured to represent Bahrain on this platform for the next two years, as we focus on sustainable development goals, including health, education, innovation and peace, as they affect children in particular.”
Retaj’s vision for her two-year term, during which the APC will meet four times, is to elevate the rights and responsibilities of the Arab child, ensuring their well-being, development and human dignity.
The resolutions that she hopes to raise will be in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and these will then be submitted to the Arab League, after careful analysis and review by the legislative body.
The youngest of four siblings, Retaj has been preparing for the role from a young age, guided by her mother, Khulood Showaiter.
“My father passed away before I was even born, and my mother raised me, stepping into the role of both parents,” Retaj explained.
“Who I am and what I have achieved, is because I always had a phenomenal role model like her, who has been with me at every step of this journey. So I’d like to dedicate my victory and my term of service to her and the spirit of my late father.”
Having taken an early interest in the law and legislative representation, Retaj also represented the kingdom’s orphans when she met His Majesty King Hamad.
She joined the APC in its first-ever session in 2019 and her accomplishments made her the obvious choice for vice-president during her second session.
As she looks to the future, Retaj has already started studying commercial law at school and hopes to become a lawyer one day, while continuing to be an active citizen and representative of the kingdom, both locally and internationally.
She also wants to see more young Bahrainis take on an active role, supporting their communities and becoming part of bodies that elevate their concerns.
“I hope to see more young Bahrainis being confident about their acumen and participating in the APC,” she said.
“An ability to work well with others, not being afraid to voice their opinion and being passionate and knowledgeable about how collective decision-making works, are key to succeeding in this role, and I hope to see more Bahrainis and Arab children have their voice heard on this platform.”
For more details, follow @retaj_alabbasi and @arpchild on Instagram.
