The Kingdom of Bahrain participates with the countries of the world in commemorating the International Day of Disabled
02-12-2022
The Kingdom of Bahrain participates with the countries of the world in commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which was approved by the United Nations General Assembly since 1992, so that the third of December of each year will be a day of celebration, in order to promote the rights of this group in all societal and developmental fields, and to highlight the efforts of countries in this field, in addition to raising awareness of the importance of integrating people with disabilities like the rest of society, as the global celebration of the year 2022 of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities revolves around the comprehensive theme of innovation and solutions to achieve comprehensive development, especially the eighth goal of development goals Sustainable (innovation for disability-inclusive development in employment), and the tenth goal (innovation for disability-inclusive development in reducing inequality). On this occasion, His Excellency Mr. Osama bin Ahmed Khalaf Al-Asfoor, Minister of Social Development, affirmed that persons with disabilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain receive great attention from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Kingdom of Bahrain, and with continuous follow-up from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, pointing out that the Kingdom of Bahrain is one of the first countries to ratify the Convention on the Rights of this category, in order to ensure their full integration into society and the preservation of their rights. Al-Asfoor explained that work is underway to launch the executive plan for the National Strategy for People with Disabilities for the five years (2022-2026) to continue implementing more projects and programs that support the rights of people of determination, in cooperation with the Higher Committee for the Care of Affairs of Persons with Disabilities, all official and private bodies concerned with their affairs and the United Nations Development Office. The Ministry of Social Development is keen on the diligent development of services provided to persons with disabilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Governmental, private and private rehabilitation centers continued to implement their care, treatment, rehabilitation, academic and vocational programmes. During the academic year 2022-2023, the number of government centers run by the Ministry reached (6) centers, benefiting (205) male and female students, while the number of licensed private rehabilitation centers reached (17) centers and (649) male and female students benefited from them. The number of private centers reached (26), and (788) male and female students benefited from them. Believing in the principle of community partnership to enable persons with disabilities to integrate into society, a number of programmes, initiatives and projects targeting this category have been implemented, the most prominent of which are community partnership projects that include managing and operating a driving training program, in coordination with the General Traffic Department. (76) people have benefited from this program, in addition to the Academic Rehabilitation Grants Program for National Rehabilitation Centers, which provides partial financial support for (12) centers, and (476) male and female students have benefited from it. In addition to the foregoing, about (79) people have benefited from the management and operation of the mobile units program, which is represented by the Home Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, about (79) people, while the Home Care Center has provided services to (38) people with disabilities, and the Al-Matrouk Center for Counseling Rehabilitation provides services to (60) children with cerebral palsy, in addition to the support program with specific privileges for holders of the national identity card integrated with the disability ID, and the number of participating agencies in providing quality services for this category has reached more than (150) entities. Minister Al-Asfoor explained the importance of the solidarity of various governmental, civil and private agencies and institutions, as well as civil society organizations, in providing various rehabilitation, training and educational services for all categories of disabilities, in order to enable them to fully integrate into society, pointing out that this solidarity is considered a human criterion by which the authenticity, progress and depth of societies are measured, as Bahrain has always been proactive in enacting supportive and guarantor legislation to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities, and thus the Kingdom has made great strides on the path of integrating the category of people with determination into society. The Ministry of Social Development affirms that the Kingdom of Bahrain has always demonstrated its interest in preserving the rights of citizens, including persons with disabilities, and will continue its endeavors to promote the services provided to this dear group and preserve the gains achieved thanks to national efforts.