Ministry of Labour : 766 People with Disabilities Hired in Three Years

The government has raised concerns over a Shura Council draft law that seeks to double the minimum employment quota for people with disabilities in workplaces with 50 or more employees, from 2% to 4%. The draft also proposes giving qualified persons with disabilities priority for certain government jobs.

In a written response to the Council of Representatives, the government argued that existing laws and programmes already meet these goals. Current vacancies for people with disabilities, it noted, exceed the number of job seekers, making the 2% quota sufficient. Officials warned that the proposed changes could limit hiring flexibility, reserve positions unnecessarily, and affect operational efficiency.

New Ministry of Labour statistics show 325 people with disabilities currently seeking work, while 766 Bahrainis with disabilities have been employed in the private sector over the past three years. The ministry stressed that assigning priority government positions is not mandatory under current law, and each case is best assessed individually.

The Ministry of Social Development reported 14,800 people with disabilities in Bahrain and highlighted ongoing vocational programmes in fields such as hospitality, IT, carpentry, and agriculture. Twelve private centres deliver these programmes at an annual cost of BD 1.2 million. Meanwhile, the Civil Service Bureau confirmed 282 employees with disabilities across government agencies and 72 job titles deemed suitable for various disability categories.

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce opposed the draft, saying the current quota “achieves its purpose”. Conversely, trade unions supported the move, calling for tougher penalties for non-compliant employers.