▁" art ific ial ▁and ▁marg inal ". ▁In ▁a ▁statement ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁she ▁said : ▁ ▁Bah rain ' s ▁move ▁was ▁widely ▁considered ▁to ▁have ▁encourag ed ▁women ' s ▁rights ▁activ ists ▁in ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf ▁to ▁step ▁up ▁dem ands ▁for ▁equality . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁ ▁K uw ait i ▁women ▁would ▁be ▁granted ▁equal ▁political ▁rights ▁to ▁men . ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁E lection ▁ ▁E igh teen ▁female ▁candidates ▁stood ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Bah ra ini ▁general ▁election . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁female ▁candidates ▁ran ▁for ▁Left ist ▁parties ▁or ▁as ▁independ ents , ▁with ▁no ▁Islam ist ▁party ▁being ▁represented ▁by ▁a ▁woman , ▁although ▁sal af ist ▁party ▁As al ah ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁group ▁to ▁public ly ▁opp ose ▁female ▁candid ature ▁in ▁parliament ary ▁elections . ▁Only ▁one ▁candidate , ▁Late ef a ▁Al ▁Ga ood , ▁won ; ▁in ▁her ▁case ▁by ▁default ▁before ▁pol ling ▁after ▁her ▁two ▁oppon ents ▁in ▁her ▁constitu ency ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁race . ▁ ▁Personal ▁status ▁law ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁un ified ▁personal ▁status ▁law ▁in ▁Bah rain ▁that ▁covers ▁matters ▁such ▁as ▁divor ce ▁and ▁child ▁cust ody , ▁so ▁that ▁Sh aria ▁jud ges ▁have ▁dis cret ion ▁in ▁such ▁matters . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Council ▁for ▁Women ▁in ▁an