Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Bahrain (Ratification: 1999)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. Access to the open labour market and services available for persons with disabilities. In response to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s reference to progress in implementing the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2012–16, in particular measures to encourage the employment of persons with disabilities and cooperation between the various parties concerned with persons with disabilities, such as the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Social Development, to integrate persons with disabilities into the labour market through training and employment programmes. The Committee further notes that these programmes include wage-support measures provided by the Tamkeen Labour Fund, under which the State covers the salary of workers disabilities for one year for companies that integrate such workers. The Committee also notes the launch in 2023 of the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2023–27, which builds on the previous Strategy and the Plan for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and is organized around seven axes: legislation and regulation; health and rehabilitation; education and integration; academic and vocational qualification and economic and social empowerment; empowerment of women with disabilities; accessibility of buildings and services; and awareness-raising and media. The Government indicates that legislation is under ongoing review and development to reflect global and regional changes. In response to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that the introduction of two hours of paid rest per day for workers with disabilities has not reduced the employment rate of persons with disabilities. The Government reports the integration of 271 jobseekers with disabilities in 2022 and 242 in 2023 (out of 321 registered). According to the General Organization for Social Insurance, 442 employees with disabilities (327 men and 115 women) are working in the national labour market. The Committee notes the concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in May 2024, expressing deep concern regarding the use of “health capacity or fitness” as a precondition for public employment and its lack as a reason for termination of employment, the absence of mechanisms to ensure reasonable accommodation in the workplace and to recognize the denial of reasonable accommodation as discrimination; and the existence of lists restricting persons with disabilities to specified jobs (CRPD/C/BHR/CO/1-2, para. 54). In view of the above structural barriers to employment in the open labour market, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the specific legislative or policy measures taken or envisaged that aim at: (i) the removal of “health capacity or fitness” as a precondition for recruitment or as a ground for termination in the public sector; (ii) the introduction of effective mechanisms to ensure reasonable accommodation in the workplace and to recognize the denial of reasonable accommodation as discrimination; and (iii) the repeal of any lists or restrictions limiting persons with disabilities to specified jobs, thereby ensuring access to all available types of employment in the open labour market.

The Committee also requests information on the impact of the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2023–27, including, but not limited to, labour market participation rate, employment rate, disability wage gap, and work in the informal economy

Article 5. Consultation of the representative organizations of employers and workers. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that coordination on the implementation of the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities is assigned to a high-level committee chaired by the Minister of Social Development and including representatives of relevant Government institutions and of civil society organizations and associations concerned with disability. The Committee notes the committee’s mandate to study and prepare public policy, laws, regulations and projects related to the care, rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, to determine regulatory procedures for implementation by public and private bodies, and to plan and coordinate relevant programmes. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the activities of the high-level committee reviewing the implementation of the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities. It also requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the manner in which representative organizations of employers and workers and representative are involved on matters covered by the Convention.

The Committee recalls that Article 5 requires consultation with three distinct parties – representative organizations of employers, workers, and organizations representing persons with disabilities (OPDs) – on the formulation and implementation of the national policy. The Committee requests the Government to specify the distinct mechanisms established to ensure that all three parties are effectively involved in the following stages: (i) the design, adoption, and assessment of the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2023–27; (ii) the development and review of the employment programmes, including the Tamkeen wage support measures; (iii) the selection of services and staff to be trained under the strategy (Article 9).

Articles 7 and 9. Accessible vocational guidance, vocational training, placement, employment and other related services. Suitably qualified staff to provide services for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Social Development are provide further training for staff that work directly with persons with disabilities. Both Ministries, together with other relevant parties, are working to train staff through in-house and external training courses and workshops. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on measures taken to ensure that all vocational rehabilitation and employment services, including those offered by the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Social Development, are physically and functionally accessible to persons with disabilities (Article 7).The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide information on the following aspects of staff development (Article 9): (i) the number of rehabilitation counsellors and other relevant staff trained and made available; (ii) statistical information on the total number of persons with disabilities who have benefited from these vocational guidance, training, and placement services, disaggregated by age, sex, and type of service received.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. Access to the open labour market and services available for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that it has started to implement the second phase of the National Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2012–16) and its corresponding Action Plan. The Government refers to section 5 of Act No. 74 of 2006 (as amended by Act No. 59 of 2014) which provides that workers with disabilities or workers caring for a dependent person with a disability are entitled to a two-hour daily break with full pay. The Committee notes that, in 2014, a total of 957 persons with disabilities registered with the Ministry of Social Development were employed, 590 were seeking employment, and 107 had been found unable to work. The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government concerning incentive measures taken to promote the employment of persons with disabilities, such as the State’s payment of a year’s salary to companies and institutions that employ persons with disabilities, the granting of an official bonus, and honouring companies and institutions in an annual event organized by the Ministry of Labour. In 2014, the Service Centre for Persons with Disabilities (“You are not alone”) benefited a total of 93 persons with disabilities (67 were placed in employment and 26 were trained). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures implemented in the context of the National Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2012–16), and its corresponding Action Plan, particularly in respect of the impact of the incentive measures aimed at promoting the employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee further requests information on the application in practice of the two-hour daily break provided for in section 5 of Act No. 74 of 2006 and on any evaluations that may have been carried out to determine the impact of this provision on the employment of persons with disabilities or workers caring for a dependent with a disability. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide specific practical information, such as statistical data, extracts from reports, studies or surveys on matters covered by the Convention.

Article 5. Consultation of the representative organizations of employers and workers. In reply to previous comments, the Committee notes that responsibility over the rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities rests with the social partners, and that the Government endeavours to maintain an ongoing link between all three partners. The Committee requests the Government to provide more particulars on the manner in which it ensures a continuous link between the social partners and representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities on matters governed by the Convention.

Article 9. Suitably qualified staff to provide services for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that attention has been focused on the training of psychological specialists, and that measures have been taken to support provision of psychological and counselling services to all categories of society, including persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the measures taken to ensure the training and availability of rehabilitation counsellors and other suitably qualified staff responsible for the vocational guidance, vocational training, placement and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the number of persons trained and made available to persons with disabilities.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

The Committee notes the report provided by the Government in October 2010 containing detailed replies to the 2005 direct request.

Article 2 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the adoption of new instruments to implement the Convention through Act No. 74 of 2006, which relates to the welfare, rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities and Order No. 62 of 2007, related to the establishment of the Higher Committee for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities. The Government indicates that its policies related to providing services to persons with disabilities are formulated and implemented by the Ministry of Social Development and that the welfare of persons with disabilities was included in the national reform project. It also recalls that under section 21 of the Labour Law, employers were obliged to employ a quota of 2 per cent of people with disabilities in a workplace with 100 workers. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report how the quota system has contributed to provide employment to people with disabilities in both the public and the private sectors. It also requests the Government to describe the manner in which the measures taken under Act No. 74 of 2006 and Order No. 62 of 2007 have succeeded in promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It further invites the Government to include in its next report statistics disaggregated, as much as possible, by age, sex and the nature of the disability, as well as extracts from reports, studies and inquiries, concerning the matters covered by the Convention (Part V of the report form).

Article 3. Access to the open labour market and services available for persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that efforts are coordinated through various centres for vocational rehabilitation measures and the promotion of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities by the Ministry of Social Development. These measures include the training of persons with disabilities on acquiring the necessary rehabilitation and vocational skills to find a job which suits the preferences of the person, as well as the needs of the labour market. The Government further indicates that these centres provide job opportunities and recruitment of persons with disabilities in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour. The Government reports on the career empowerment programme which supports the recruitment process of persons with disabilities and is implemented within 29 weeks by a specialized team of vocational trainers and recruitment specialists. The programme provides training to acquire different skills and to find jobs which suit their capacities. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the vocational rehabilitation measures that are made available to all categories of persons with disabilities and the manner in which their employment opportunities are promoted in the open labour market.

Article 5. Consultation of the representative organizations of employers and workers. The Committee again invites the Government to indicate in its next report how organizations of employers and workers, as well as organizations of, and for, persons with disabilities are involved in the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 9. Suitably qualified staff to provide services for persons with disabilities. The Committee again invites the Government to provide information on the action taken to ensure the training and availability of rehabilitation counsellors and other suitably qualified staff responsible for the vocational guidance, vocational training, placement and employment of disabled persons.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

1. In relation to its 2001 direct request, the Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s report received in August 2005, including details on how the provisions of Chapter IV of the Labour Law for the Private Sector give effect to the Convention. It would appreciate receiving further information on the following points.

2. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that under section 21 of the Labour Law, employers are obliged to employ a quota of 2 per cent of people with disabilities in a workplace with 100 workers. It also notes that the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs may adopt an order under section 22 of the Labour Law prescribing certain designated posts or positions in the public sector for which rehabilitated persons with disabilities shall have priority. The Committee asks the Government to provide, in its next report, more practical indications on the manner in which these measures are implemented and periodically reviewed (Article 2 of the Convention).

3. Access to the open labour market for persons with disabilities. The Committee asks the Government to provide further information on the vocational rehabilitation measures that are made available to all categories of persons with disabilities and the manner in which employment opportunities for persons with disabilities are promoted in the open labour market (Article 3).

4. Consultation of the representative organizations of employers and workers. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the Ministry of Social Affairs coordinates with relevant civil society organizations providing for the rehabilitation and welfare of persons with disabilities. The Government also indicates that the Ministry is currently in the process of establishing an upper Committee for the welfare and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities presided by the Minister of Social Affairs and including representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations, in addition to relevant civil society institutions. The Committee asks the Government to describe the operation of the Committee for the welfare and rehabilitation of people with disabilities and indicate how organizations of employers and workers, as well as organizations of and for persons with disabilities are going to be involved in the formulating, implementing and reviewing of the national policy.

5. Services available for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that it provides centres so as to offer services for the welfare and rehabilitation of people with disabilities in all villages and cities of the country. The Committee further notes with interest the reports and publications on the centres and services. It asks the Government to continue to provide information on the various vocational guidance, vocational training, placement, employment and other related services intended to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.

6. Suitably qualified staff to provide services for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that the Ministry of Social Affairs has requested the assistance of the ILO through its ILO Beirut Regional Office. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the action taken as a result of the technical assistance provided by the ILO on the matters covered by the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

The Committee notes the brief mention of provisions of the Labour Code concerning persons with disabilities, contained in the Government’s first report, which was received in July 2001. The Committee recalls the particular importance of submitting a detailed first report, which provides the basis for its initial assessment of the observance of ratified Conventions. The Committee therefore would appreciate receiving more detailed information on each of the issues raised in the report form as well as further information on the application of the Convention in practice, as requested under Part V of the report form adopted by the Governing Body.