A proposal to double Bahrain’s mandatory employment quota for people with disabilities from two per cent to four per cent in large establishments is set to be debated in the Shura Council.
The chamber’s own services committee has, however, recommended that it be rejected.
The bill amends provisions of Law No 74 of 2006 on the Care, Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, requiring establishments employing 50 or more workers to ensure that at least four per cent of their workforce consists of qualified persons with disabilities.
The amendment also makes it mandatory for the Labour Minister, in co-ordination with other authorities, to issue a decision specifying government jobs where persons with disabilities would have priority for appointment.
The proposal originated from the Shura Council and was drafted by the government and unanimously approved by MPs before arriving back in the upper chamber for review. However, after months of deliberations, the services committee chaired by Dr Jameela Al Salman concluded that the existing legal framework is sufficient – and that the real problem lies in implementation, not legislation.
“The committee found that the challenge is not the percentage set in law, but the level of compliance with it on the ground,” Dr Al Salman said in the report.
“Raising the quota in the absence of effective enforcement would only widen the gap between the text of the law and reality.”
A key factor behind the recommendation for rejection was a finding from the National Audit Office 2023-2024 report. It showed that 1,407 private establishments employing more than 50 workers – 96 per cent of those eligible – were not complying with the existing two per cent requirement.
“This clearly indicates a failure of enforcement rather than a flaw in the law,” Dr Al Salman said. “Activating the current provisions would achieve the same goals without creating unrealistic legal burdens.”
The committee also noted that Article 11 of the law already allows the quota to be increased by regulatory decision above the two per cent minimum – if justified by data – without the need for legislative amendment.
Dr Al Salman said the committee’s conclusion was based on practical realities.
“True empowerment comes from training, preparation, awareness and enforcement, and not from simply raising numbers in legislation,” she said. “The law already contains the tools needed to increase employment if properly activated.”
The committee therefore recommended that the Shura Council reject the draft law and instead focus on enforcing the existing two per cent requirement more effectively.
According to data presented by the Labour and Legal Affairs Ministry, Bahrain has around 15,000 people with disabilities, but only about 280 are registered as jobseekers. Of those, 40 per cent have intellectual disabilities, creating additional placement challenges.
Despite around 1,700 job opportunities becoming available annually, the ministry said the limited number of qualified candidates remains a bottleneck. Employment figures show 259 people with disabilities were hired in 2022, 293 in 2023 and 214 in 2024 – suggesting the current two per cent threshold has not hindered hiring.
“The issue is not a shortage of legal obligation, but a shortage of suitably prepared candidates and practical job matching,” Minister Yousif Khalaf told the committee.
The Social Development Ministry and the Civil Service Bureau supported the government’s view that flexibility, data and co-ordination are more effective than rigid numerical increases.
The Civil Service Bureau said its role is to nominate candidates for suitable roles when requested, noting ongoing integration of disability data into government HR systems to improve matching.
Meanwhile, the Bahrain Chamber argued that the existing ratio is adequate and that no studies or statistics had been presented to justify doubling it.
Opinions among disability organisations were, however, mixed.
The Bahraini Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled, Bahrain Association for Intellectual Disability and Autism, Motivators Association for People with Disabilities, Al Rahma Centre for Youth Care, and the Bahrain Down Syndrome Society supported the amendment, calling it an important legislative step to expand inclusion and institutionalise successful practices.
They stressed, however, that training, workplace adaptation and post-employment support are essential for sustainable integration.
Others, including the Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioural and Communication Difficulties and Tafaaul Special Education Centre, warned that imposing higher quotas without investing in vocational training and employer awareness could lead to ‘token employment’.
The Bahrain Deaf and Mute Society alleged discrimination in hiring and salary disparities for deaf graduates, calling for official recognition of sign language and better enforcement of existing rights.
The Bahrain Friendship Society for the Blind urged stronger co-ordination between ministries and the issuance of the long-delayed decision identifying priority government roles.
The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Centre for Hearing and Speech Development recommended classifying disabilities into functional categories to improve job matching rather than increasing quotas.
The final decision will now be made during Sunday’s Shura session.
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