Double disability jobs quota

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A draft law to raise Bahrain’s jobs quota for persons with disabilities from 2 to 4 per cent in workplaces with 50 or more employees will go before Parliament on Tuesday, after the Services Committee endorsed it despite government objections.  

The amendment would also require the Labour Minister, in coordination with the Social Development Minister and the Civil Service Bureau, to specify government roles in which quali - fied candidates with disabilities would have priority.

 The government asked MPs to reconsider the bill, arguing that its goals are already being met through existing legislation and the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities (2023–2027). It warned that fixing a 4 per cent quota could leave posts unfilled due to a shortage of qualified candidates, add pressure on the State budget and disrupt the Fiscal Balance Programme and Economic Recovery Plan.

 The Labour Ministry supported this view, noting there are 325 registered jobseekers with disabilities and 214 employed in the private sector. It said the required ministerial decision has not been issued because the current law treats it as optional and because assigning specific posts across government is impractical; it prefers a case-bycase approach.  

The Social Development Ministry reported 14,800 persons with disabilities in 2024 and outlined its vocational rehabilitation programmes, which feed qualified graduates into the labour market in coordination with the Labour Ministry.

It also contracts 12 private centres for additional training services.  The Civil Service Bureau said recruitment in government entities is governed by existing Civil Service law, which already requires a 2 per cent quota and grants priority to candidates with disabilities. It has designated 72 suitable job titles and currently employs 282 persons with disabilities across government.  

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged caution, warning that doubling the quota without strong data could harm some sectors. The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions backed the proposal, calling for tougher penalties for non-compliance and arguing that a higher quota would support social and economic inclusion.