Experts of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Appreciate Bahrain’s Emphasis on Inclusion, Ask about Disrespectful Terminology in Certain Laws and the Use of the Death Penalty on Persons with Disabilities

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today concluded its review of the combined initial and second periodic report of Bahrain, with Committee Experts commending the State for its emphasis on inclusion, while raising questions about disrespectful terminology within certain laws and the use of the death penalty on persons with disabilities.   

An Expert appreciated the emphasis on inclusion; the fact that women and children with disabilities were included in certain laws and policies was what the Committee wanted to see. 

Muhannad Salah Al-Azzeh, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, asked when the terminology of certain laws, which were not respectful of persons with disabilities, would be changed? Words used included insane, imbecile, and foolish.  These terms ran contrary to the Convention.  When would they be revisited? 

Another Expert said there were currently between 25 and 30 people on death row in Bahrain.  Since 2011, at least 51 people had been sentenced to death. There was evidence that there were convictions to the death penalty based on confessions coerced under torture. Did Bahrain exempt persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities from being sentenced to death and executed?  How many persons with disabilities had been sentenced to death and executed?  How was disability evaluated when it came to the death penalty? 

The delegation said a bill was before parliament to amend some definitions.  Legislation was reviewed regularly.  Terms were used to address certain pathologies, including regarding discernment abilities.  A committee undertook psychological and mental evaluations to ascertain to what degree an individual was able to discern their actions. 

The delegation said the numbers mentioned by the Committee regarding the death penalty were not accurate at all. The legislative system stipulated that the death penalty was only for the most serious crimes.  When it came to implementation, there were few sentences. The circumstances of the accused person were taken into consideration in prison.  In the case of persons with disabilities, the court must mitigate the death sentence into a more lenient one.  Bahrain published regular public reports which stipulated how often the sentence of the death penalty had been applied. 

Osama bin Ahmed Khalaf Al-Asfour, Minister of Social Development of Bahrain and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said Bahrain continued to seek to improve conditions for persons with disabilities.  There were 14,000 persons with disabilities in Bahrain, amounting to two per cent of the population.  Bahrain was a pioneer in enacting legislation which guaranteed the rights of persons with disabilities, including through law 74, 2006.  The national strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities was launched in 2012 and was based on significant research and field studies. Work was being carried out to finalise the construction of a comprehensive disability complex, which cost 23 million United States dollars and covered 20,000 square metres. Bahrain looked forward to a constructive, interactive dialogue with the Committee. 

In closing remarks, Mr. Al-Asfour sincerely thanked the Committee Experts for the dialogue and their contributions.  The goal was to promote equality and protection for persons with disabilities. Bahrain wanted to improve the basic services provided to persons with disabilities in education, health, employment and housing, and ensure accessibility to services and information. 

Mr. Al-Azzeh said the Committee had always looked to Bahrain as a pioneer in the field of developments and human rights.  It was hoped this would also be reflected regarding the rights of persons with disabilities.  Goodwill was not enough; this must be reflected in laws, legislation and policies which allowed for stability and progress for the rights of persons with disabilities.  It was regretful that there was a complete absence of persons with disabilities and their organizations in the meeting. 

The delegation of Bahrain was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Information; the Ministry of Labour; the Ministry of Interior; the Ombudsman’s Office; the Paralympic Committee; Projects Follow up and Management; the Public Prosecution; the Supreme Council for Women; the School Operations Region; the Development Unit; and the Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the United Nations Office at Geneva. 

Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  The programme of work of the Committee’s thirtieth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Monday, 11 March, to consider the combined second and third periodic report of Sweden (CRPD/C/SWE/2-3).

Report

The Committee has before it the combined initial and second periodic report of Bahrain (CRPD/C/BHR/1-2).

Presentation of Report

OSAMA BIN AHMED KHALAF AL-ASFOUR, Minister of Social Development of Bahrain and head of the delegation, said Bahrain continued to seek to improve conditions for persons with disabilities.  The Constitution guaranteed equality for all.  There were 14,000 persons with disabilities in Bahrain, amounting to two per cent of the population.  Bahrain was a pioneer in enacting legislation which guaranteed the rights of persons with disabilities, including through law 74, 2006.  Bahrain had amended some of its legislation and policies following its ratification of the Convention.  The national strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities was launched in 2012 and was based on significant research and field studies.  A survey had been undertaken to ascertain the satisfaction of persons with disabilities throughout the country. 

A national plan for human rights was approved in 2022, which included economic and cultural rights.  All national strategies included the participation of persons with disabilities, including the national strategy for the elderly, Bahraini women and for childhood.   Many steps had been taken to enhance the effective participation of civil society organizations.  The law on associations and social clubs had provided an opportunity to create 17 civil society organizations for persons with disabilities, where women with disabilities were highly represented in decision making positions, at a rate of 55 per cent.  Bahrain had made many achievements in sports, winning medals at the Paralympic games. Several championships had been held in the country and over 150 States had participated. 

There were 49 rehabilitation centres throughout the country, and a team supervised these centres to ensure they were applying appropriate care systems.  Students with disabilities were included in public schools through inclusive education, with support services to enable them to reach their potential. Persons with disabilities had the right to live in a family.  Temporary shelter was provided as a last resort if it was not possible to stay with their families.  Grants had been launched for rehabilitation services, as well as a project to train persons with disabilities to obtain a driving license free of charge.  Holders of disability cards in Bahrain were given special discounts.

A large share of the public budget was allocated to improve the quality of health services.  Twenty-seven health centres were equipped to cover all kind of disabilities, and physiotherapy sessions were also provided.  The national programme for employment aimed to employ persons with disabilities.  More than 1,000 persons with disabilities had joined the labour force over the past few years.  A national programme was in place for cochlear implants.  Work was being done to finalise the construction of a comprehensive disability complex, which cost 23 million United States dollars and covered 20,000 square metres.  Buildings inside the complex covered diagnosis, consultation, day care, sport and recreational clubs.  Bahrain was moving forward to engage all members of the community, including persons with disabilities, in sustainable development.  Bahrain looked forward to a constructive, interactive dialogue with the Committee. 

Questions by Committee Experts

REHAB MOHAMMED BORESLI, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, said it would have been useful if the national human rights institution and civil society organizations could have participated in the meeting.  She was happy to see that Bahrain was among the first countries in the region to have acceded to the Convention.  She wished to evoke the principles of the Convention and note that persons with disabilities needed to be included in all fields of life.  The principle of exclusion needed to put aside and replaced by the principle of inclusion.  Bahrain’s national action plan did not ensure an inclusive rather than exclusive situation.  Persons with disabilities were not included in the design of policies.  Legal texts in Bahrain did not meet the genuine needs of persons with disabilities, including law 74, 2006 on the employment of persons with disabilities.   

MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, said in 2017, Bahrain had amended law 74, 2006 on the employment of persons with disabilities, exchanging the term “disabled persons” with “persons with disabilities”.  Since the law was amended after Bahrain acceded to the Convention, why had the law not been fully amended?  Why was the medical model not replaced with the human rights-based model?  The medical model impacted the enjoyment of rights of persons with disabilities. When would terminology of certain laws, which were not respectful of persons with disabilities, be changed? Words used included insane, imbecile, and foolish.  These terms ran contrary to the Convention.  When would they be revisited?  How were cases of discrimination addressed?  What mechanisms were in place to protect women with disabilities from violence?  How could they report instances of violence? 

The age of marriage was set at 16, but it could be lowered.  What measures were being taken to protect women and girls with disabilities from early marriage?  What was being done to overcome stereotypes of persons with disabilities?  How was access to buildings and structures guaranteed? What sanctions were levied if these accessibility standards were not respected?  What was being done to protect persons with disabilities in detention centres or those who were deprived of their liberty? 

A Committee Expert asked if there were any mechanisms to ensure that all existing laws in Bahrain were compliant with the Convention? 

One Expert asked if there were organizations run by persons with intellectual disabilities for persons with intellectual disabilities?  What measures were being taken to raise awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities in line with the Convention?

A Committee Expert asked if a gender perspective was applied to the national strategy for persons with disabilities 2017-2023?  What multiple forms of discrimination were faced by women and girls with disabilities? 

An Expert asked if widows with disabilities could inherit assets from their late spouses?  What support was in place for carers of persons with disabilities? 

A Committee Expert asked how the term “mental illness” was defined?  Was the draft bill on mental health adopted?  Was it drafted in consultation with persons with disabilities? 

REHAB MOHAMMED BORESLI, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, asked about the availability of captioning for persons with disabilities?  What policies and programmes were in place to inspect centres and shelters?  How often were inspections carried out? 

An Expert asked why there were no reports from organizations of persons with disabilities or civil society organizations?  Had there been a consultation with civil society?  What was the representation of persons with disabilities in the Supreme Council of Women? 

A Committee Expert asked if the State had a definition of non-discrimination? 

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Bahrain was committed to implementing the Convention.  The Convention now operated as a national law.  Laws and legislation had been enacted which adopted the human rights model. A bill was before parliament to amend some definitions.  The law on organizations and social clubs had allowed 17 non-governmental organizations working on the rights of persons with disabilities to be established.  All non-governmental organizations had been engaged in implementing and monitoring the national strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities.  Equal rights for women and girls with disabilities were ensured within the Constitution.  The Supreme Council for Women was established in 2001 and played a major role in amending laws to encourage the participation of women with disabilities.  An initiative had been launched to ensure women with disabilities had the right to banking services on an equal basis with others. 

The Government raised awareness on disability through audio visual media.  The State had built the capacity of media professionals with disabilities to present audio and visual programmes.  Sign language interpretation was provided for parliament sessions.  A manual had been created for persons with disabilities on mobility.  There were designated parking spaces for persons with disabilities, as well as specific pedestrian crossing areas.  The overall goal was to ensure that all public buildings were accessible. Persons with disabilities did not have to pay the fare for public transportation.  A working group had been created to evaluate public infrastructure, and a plan was put in place for its rehabilitation.  The infrastructure included schools, health care establishments, and places of worship. 

Legislation was reviewed regularly. Terms were used to address certain pathologies, including regarding discernment abilities.  A committee undertook psychological and mental evaluations to ascertain to what degree an individual was able to discern their actions. In certain cases, individuals were placed in a home or centre for care, and were not considered criminally liable for crimes they may have committed.  Widows could inherit from their husbands; this was enshrined in the family code and in Sharia law.  Marriage could not be contracted by anyone under 16 years of age unless the parents or guardians requested it.  However, it was the court that authorised or denied the request, and determined whether the marriage was in the interest of both parties. 

The Labour Code prohibited discrimination based on religion, belief and disability, as well as wage discrimination. All citizens were able to bring forth complaints when facing discrimination because of their medical situation.  Authorities would consider the complaints and ensure justice was served.   The Ombudsman’s Office received all relevant complaints, including from persons with disabilities.   No legislation could be enacted if it contravened the provisions of the Convention.  Laws which ran counter to the Convention were considered null and void. 

Bahrain was keen to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities in correctional and rehabilitation centres. Prisoners with disabilities were given special care depending on their situation, and rooms were provided in accordance with their needs.  Hearing aids were provided to persons with disabilities, and one prisoner had been given an artificial eye at the expense of the State.  There were several measures of accountability for anyone who violated the rights of prisoners with disabilities, including an Ombudsperson. Several chambers staffed with trained officers were available to receive complaints. 

The laws of the country prohibited detaining persons, including those with disabilities, without their consent in any institutions.  A law was submitted by the Government to prevent the detention of persons with a mental disability.  There were no children with mental health issues in institutions.  Disability had psychological, social and academic dimensions. In addition to the medical reason, disability was defined in accordance with a functional classification, not on the basis of a medical definition. 

There were no obstacles to persons with disabilities to hold any job, either in the public or private sector, as long as they received a certificate from the Ministry of Labour.  The review of law 74 consolidated the terms referring to disability and removed the term “disabled”.  The national action plan for persons with disabilities over the next five years had a special chapter on awareness raising.  The State was working on developing legislation for children with disabilities. 

The law on correctional facilities regulated the rights of inmates and detained persons.  Law enforcement officials could not commit any violations against inmates, including those with disabilities.  Police officers working in correctional facilities had been trained on how to deal with persons with disabilities during arrest.  France had given Bahrain a certificate recognising the high level of care the country provided to prisoners, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert asked about the participation of organizations of persons with disabilities; did these organisations exist in Bahrain? 

An Expert appreciated the emphasis on inclusion; the fact that women and children with disabilities were included in certain laws and policies was what the Committee wanted to see.  What percentage of women with disabilities were victims of domestic violence?  How many of them were able to access social services? 

MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, said there were no children in the shelters of Bahrain, which was good news.  In light of the provisions of legal capacity in the Civil Code, what were the mechanisms through which support was given to persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities to take their own decisions, without substituted decision making?  Were there clear roles to provide procedural accommodation for persons with disabilities in judicial facilities, starting with investigations?  Was there a clear plan to end all forms of deprivation of liberty on the basis of disability? 

Another Expert said there were currently between 25 and 30 people on death row in Bahrain.  Since 2011, at least 51 people had been sentenced to death. There was evidence that there were convictions to the death penalty based on confessions coerced under torture. Did Bahrain exempt persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities from being sentenced to death and executed?  How many persons with disabilities had been sentenced to death and executed?  How was disability evaluated when it came to the death penalty?  Did the Government have information on confessions elicited from persons with disabilities under torture? 

A Committee Expert said concern had been raised about the arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights defenders, including those with disabilities.  Could information be provided about steps taken to address these concerns? 

An Expert asked if Bahrain had adopted a strategy in step with the Sendai instrument to reduce the risks of catastrophes and natural disasters by 2030? 

A Committee Expert asked what specific policies were in place to protect women and children with disabilities? 

Another Expert said marital rape was not criminalised.  Women who were pregnant outside marriage or who reported rape could find themselves persecuted for extramarital sex.  What steps were being taken to abolish the citizenship law which stipulated that the father must be Bahraini in order for children to be considered Bahraini? 

An Expert asked what support was provided to persons with disabilities when they appeared in court? 

A Committee Expert asked about the steps taken to replace guardianships with supported decision-making mechanisms, in line with the Convention?  Once a person’s legal capacity was removed, could they ever get it back?  If a person wanted to challenge the decision, would they be given assistance to do so?  What were plans to integrate persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities living in institutions back into the community?

Another Expert asked if there was a specific emergency plan for persons with disabilities in Bahrain?  In such a plan, was there training for those working in civil protection?  It seemed that Bahrain wanted to move towards deinstitutionalisation.  Was there a timeline for this, and for abolishing the law which allowed for institutionalisation in the first place? Were there alternative solutions to institutionalisation? 

REHAB MOHAMMED BORESLI, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, asked about the reasonable accommodation measures taken by Bahrain in the face of emergencies, such as conflicts and climate change?  Did persons with disabilities participate in these plans of actions?  Was there disaggregated data on all persons with disabilities living in Bahrain, particularly in rural areas?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Bahrain had a national strategy for emergency situations.  The strategy had been efficiently implemented with the goal of mitigating the impact of disasters on society and the environment.  The Government’s action plan 2023-2026 had outlined its priorities to accessibility.  A centre for crises had been set up in 2003 and there was a presidential committee comprised of several entities which was entrusted with managing disasters.  A national centre for natural disasters had been opened and investments had been made to reduce the risk of disasters.  Workshops had been organised to build up the skills of authorities in this area.  Sirens were set off in cases of emergencies. The chair of the national commission for crisis management organised a workshop in January 2024, which worked on a guide to prepare for natural disasters and to protect citizens. 

During the pandemic, medication was provided to persons with disabilities at their homes.  Bahrain had been commended from external sources about the measures taken to confront the pandemic, including from the Director General of the World Health Organization. 

A guide was adopted in 2017 for all public buildings, for mindful standards.  Should the accessibility requirements not be met during the building process, then electricity would not be provided to that building. 

The numbers mentioned by the Committee regarding the death penalty were not accurate at all.  Bahrain consistently published all accurate numbers. The legislative system stipulated that the death penalty was only for the most serious crimes.  When it came to implementation, there were few sentences. The death penalty was the only sanction surrounded by safeguards and controls, including that the court could not hand down a death penalty unless there was a unanimous decision among the panel. The penalty could not be imposed on those who were minors.  The death penalty was subject to appeal even if the accused person did not apply for an appeal.  The death penalty could not be enforced without the King of Bahrain’s approval. The circumstances of the accused person were taken into consideration in prison.  In the case of persons with disabilities, the court must mitigate the death sentence into a more lenient one.  Bahrain published regular public reports which stipulated how often the sentence pf the death penalty had been applied. 

Persons with disabilities had legal safeguards in all judicial facilities, and were provided with additional facilitations to be able to file a complaint.  Technical aid and sign language interpretation was provided. Persons with disabilities had full legal capacity to exercise their rights.  In 2023, the Ministry of Justice had received more than 80 requests for judicial assistance and these had all been accepted.  More than 900 people in the State were under the guardianship system. The Ministry of Justice monitored guardians to ensure they were in line with the law.   The only case when a woman would be deprived of her inheritance was if she murdered her husband.

Mitigating sentences for persons with disabilities was not binding before the court.  Specialised training programmes had been developed for judges, prosecutors, court staff and law enforcement officers to inform them of the rights of persons with disabilities, including women.  Marital rape was regulated within the Family Code and considered to be a form of family violence.  Protection was granted to all members of the family, including persons with disabilities. 

Law 74, 2006 defined a person with disability as someone who had a deficiency in performing in their basic life functions.  This definition was a credit to Bahrain.  There was no law or regulation that deprived persons with psychosocial disabilities of their liberty, or provided for their institutionalisation on the basis of their disability.  Old laws would be reformed to align with the Convention. 

Bahrain had not executed the death penalty for many decades, except in exceptional and limited cases. 

Bahrain had taken steps to provide mechanisms for complaints and provide remedies.  One of these included a special taskforce of judicial police that monitored and inspected rehabilitation centres working with persons with disabilities.  The Ombudsman’s office investigated and recommended necessary judicial or disciplinary action and followed up before the courts. 

The Ministry of Health worked to provide healthcare free of charge.  Sign language and audio-visual channels were used to educate persons with disabilities, as well as additional programmes through schools and workshops.  Clinical tests were conducted free of charge in cases of sexual diseases.   

Bahrain worked seriously whenever there was an allegation of torture, and afforded zero tolerance to these acts. Bahrain criminalised torture in all its forms.  The law provided no protection to anyone who tortured an individual.  Bahrain had adopted a progressive approach to protect people from torture, including establishing independent monitoring entities in correctional facilities and rehabilitation centres.  A confession obtained under duress was not valid in court. Bahrain had interacted professionally with mandate holders.  When there was an allegation of torture, a special investigation was launched. 

There were no cases of asylum in Bahrain.  Migrant workers were governed by the labour law.  There was no specific data on the number of migrant workers with disabilities. A foreign national married to a national of Bahrain was considered as part of the Bahrain family.  Even if the husband was a foreigner, the children received benefits.  Over the last decade, nationality had been granted to over 4,000 individuals.  A child with a foreign father could receive visas for Bahrain and a resident’s permit free of charge.  The foreign partner had the opportunity to gain Bahraini nationality following the marriage.

Bahrain’s Constitution and legislation provided for equal rights for women and children with disabilities.  A High Council had been established which had made suggested amendments on legislation for women with disabilities. Awareness raising initiatives and campaigns had been launched, including the harmonised framework.  Professional training programmes for girls had been launched to help them join the labour market.  Working women with disabilities received special benefits, including extra paid leave.  The law on Bahraini children guaranteed the rights of all children in the country. Professionals had been trained on how to work with children with disabilities.  A national strategy for childhood had been launched in 2013 and had been updated for the next five years.  This aimed to provide programmes to guarantee the rights of children and provide them with legal protection.

Free financial services were provided, including a monthly allowance for persons with disabilities which was doubled during Ramadan.  Persons with disabilities were provided with assistive devices and the devices were exempt from fees and taxes.  Persons with disabilities were being trained to obtain driving licenses free of charge. 

Questions by Committee Experts

MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, said it was concerning that the State believed their definition of disability was in line with the Convention, but this was not true.  The definition needed to be based on the human rights model.  It was hoped that Bahrain would closely coordinate with persons with disabilities and their organizations to agree on a definition and move away from the medical model towards the human rights-based approach.

The death penalty in the Penal Code was repeated in 23 articles as a main penalty.  It was up to the discretion of the judge to make the penalty harsher in certain cases.  There was a long list of crimes which could be punished by the death penalty, including for crimes of terrorism and drug trafficking.  The Committee wanted persons with disabilities to be fully able to access criminal justice, not for disability to be a part of mitigating circumstances.  It was important to have a judiciary that treated persons with disabilities equally. Bahrain had a responsibility to provide services to refugees, including if they had disabilities.  Bahrain had not ratified the Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers.  More than 50 per cent of the population were non-Bahraini.  Could information be provided on persons with disabilities who were residents or migrants and their access to different services?

A Committee Expert said reference had been made to a business-based approach regarding the labour inclusion of persons with disabilities; was this referring to the formal job sector?  Was there data on persons with disabilities who had benefitted from these measures? 

An Expert asked what immediate actions the State party took when women and girls with disabilities reported rape? What measures were in place to ensure women and girls with disabilities who were victims of rape or sexual abuse were able to stand for trial? 

Another Expert asked what measures were in place to incentivise teachers in the general education system to be trained to teach students with disabilities?  How many students were disabilities were involved in tertiary education and what support was provided to them?  What measures would be taken to ensure persons with disabilities could exercise their right to vote?  How many persons with disabilities had run for office and been successful in Bahrain? When would the Marrakech Treaty be ratified to ensure persons with disabilities could have greater access to published works?

A Committee Expert asked what steps had been taken to repeal article 40 of the family law, to ensure women, including women with disabilities, could not be forced to have children by their husband?  What measures were in place to ensure comprehensive data collection disaggregated by disability? 

Another Expert acknowledged International Women’s Day.  Would an independent monitoring mechanism be designated?

An Expert asked how the State ensured that students with disabilities living in rural areas had equal access to educational facilities?  Could information be provided on access to fertility clinics for women with disabilities?

A Committee Expert asked about the updated number of children with disabilities who were out of school? What measures had the State taken to encourage parents of children with disabilities to send their children to school? 

Another Expert asked if there was a mechanism in place to consult persons with disabilities with regards to public policies?  Was there a special budget for the work of persons with disabilities? 

REHAB MOHAMMED BORESLI, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, welcomed the representative of civil society in the room today.  However, none of the 17 organizations for persons with disabilities had attended the meeting and no shadow report was received.  There was no presence of civil society, illustrated in the absence of the Commission for Human Rights. 

MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, asked for a definition of medical fitness.  Did this mean there was a list of jobs that persons with disabilities could not perform in accordance with the Bahraini Government?  If so, what was this list?

A Committee Expert said the State party should increase all efforts to protect women. 

Responses by the Delegation 

The delegation said freedom of expression and opinion was afforded to everyone.  A hotline was in place for sign language interpretation.  This service allowed persons with hearing impairments to communicate with public and private institutions.  Sessions of parliament were interpreted in sign language, as well as the news on television.  Numerous conferences and meetings on persons with disabilities were held using sign language and subtitling.  Braille was used in Government programmes.  Cases of marital rape against women with disabilities were dealt with immediately, as soon as a complaint was made.  Exceptional measures were taken in cases such as these.  The prosecutor took the alleged victim to a medical centre to receive treatment, and placed them in a shelter for their protection.  The law on domestic violence provided for psychosocial and medical services for victims of this crime, as well as for required legal assistance.  A hotline was available 24/7 to receive complaints. Women with disabilities who were victims were placed in a protection programme and all information was kept safe and confidential.

If someone could not cast a vote for an election using the regular ballot, a vote could be cast confidentially before the magistrate.  Education was guaranteed by the State.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization had deemed Bahrain a champion country in inclusive schools.  Inclusive schools had all necessary conditions, including a school programme and trained professionals.  There had been approval to have special classes for persons with special needs, and assistance was provided to these people during classes and exams.  School grants were offered to these students, and special buses were provided for transportation.  Bahrain was taking measures to guarantee education for all without discrimination.  The curriculum was printed and offered in Braille.  Children with intellectual impairments had also been included in schools. 

The non-enrolment of children with disabilities in schools was an offence which was punishable by the Government. Twenty-two cases had been referred to the Public Prosecution in this regard.  Education in the pandemic was provided for all students, including those with disabilities, through distance learning.  Bahrain continued the educational process online. 

The Constitution protected the right to privacy.  Regulations regarding disability issues stressed the importance of confidentiality and the protection of personal data.  Punishment could be imprisonment or a fine of up to 52,000 United States dollars for anyone who interfered in data. 

Companies with more than 50 staff were required to employ two per cent of their workforce with persons with disabilities.  The Government had been working on a comprehensive vision for jobs which could be assigned to persons with disabilities as a priority.  There were 300 staff with disabilities working throughout the public sector.  The national human rights institution was being given a mandate to monitor the human rights situation in correctional facilities and places of detention.  It could hold meetings and organise events with civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations and human rights defenders. 

Concluding Remarks

OSAMA BIN AHMED KHALAF AL-ASFOUR, Minister of Social Development of Bahrain and head of the delegation, sincerely thanked the Committee Experts for the dialogue and their contributions. The goal was to promote equality and protection for persons with disabilities.  It was hoped the State could tackle the obstacles that hindered the work of public and private institutions and civil society.  Bahrain wanted to improve the basic services provided to persons with disabilities in education, health, employment and housing, and ensure accessibility to services and information.  The experience over the past two days had been rich and pleasant and based on mutual respect.

MUHANNAD SALAH AL-AZZEH, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Bahrain, said the Committee had always looked to Bahrain as a pioneer in the field of developments and human rights. It was hoped this would also be reflected regarding the rights of persons with disabilities.  Goodwill was not enough; this must be reflected in laws, legislation and policies which allowed for stability and progress for the rights of persons with disabilities.  It was regretful that there was a complete absence of persons with disabilities and their organizations in the meeting.  It was hoped the past two days would be a turning point in the participation of civil society in Bahrain.  The discussion had been rich but had been a challenge. 

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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