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Bahrain appointed a woman judge on Tuesday for the first time in its history, becoming the first to do so among the conservative and male-dominated Gulf Arab states.
King Hamad issued a decree appointing Mona Jassem al-Kawari to the civil courts, the official Bahrain News Agency reported.
"I am very proud to be the first woman judge in Bahrain," Kawari told AFP after her appointment.
"This nomination does not surprise me though because his majesty has been encouraging women since the launch of reforms."
There are at present two women ministers in the Bahraini government.
Bahraini women only got the vote for the first time in a 2001 referendum on turning the small Gulf archipelago into a constitutional monarchy.
A total of 31 women stood as candidates in municipal and parliamentary elections the following year but not one won election.
The next round of elections is tentatively expected in October but no date has yet been formally set.
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AFP 061405 GMT 06 06
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