Fair deal for disabled kids

Manama : After years of discussions in the House of Representatives and Shura Council, physically challenged children of foreigners married to Bahraini women will be treated equally as their Bahraini counterparts.

This means that they will be eligible to receive all the rights granted to physically challenged Bahraini citizens in terms of employment, allowances and other aspects.

The announcement was made yesterday as His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa ratified and issued Law 22 of 2017, amending Article 2 of Law 74 2006 on the welfare, rehabilitation and employment of physically challenged persons.

HM the King’s ratification comes after the law was previously approved by both branches of the Legislative Authority, the House of Representatives and Shura Council.

The law amends the text of Article 2 of Law 74 of 2006 after it only applied to Bahrainis. The amendment stipulates that “the provisions of Law 74 of 2006 shall apply to Bahraini persons with disabilities, and to people with disabilities from the children of Bahraini women married to foreigners with permanent residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

The law will come into effect from Friday, a day after HM’s announcement is published in the Official Gazette