POLICEWOMEN will be granted the same rights to maternity leave as women in the public sector, Shura Council members agreed yesterday.

The legislation, which will be ratified by His Majesty King Hamad, grants policewomen the same rights as women civil servants to maternity leave, time off for childcare and a mourning period in the event they are widowed.

It was shelved by the council in October following reports that female civil servants could be in line for increased rights, which would again put policewomen at a disadvantage.

However, it got the green light after government officials provided councillors with all the necessary information to ensure the bill is flexible enough to later include new privileges women in the public sector could receive.

Policewomen will now receive 60 days off for maternity leave, two hours off work a day for childcare for up to two years and four months and 10 days off with pay if they are widowed.

Minister of State for Shura Council and Parliament Affairs Abdulaziz Al Fadhel described the new bill as a step forward in improving the rights of women government employees.

"Under current legislations, policewomen don't fall under the Civil Service Bureau and they are not entitled to the same rights as their counterparts in the government or civilian female employees working at the Interior Ministry," he said.

"Even though the government is currently preparing by-laws to the new civil service law, policewomen are not included and this is why we have come up with a special law that gives them equal privileges."