Bahrain to observe World Autism Awareness Day

Manama : Bahrain will join other countries in marking the World Autism Awareness Day 2018, observed worldwide on April 2 under the theme “Empowering Women and Girls with Autism”.

This year’s World Autism Awareness Day observance at United Nations Headquarters New York will focus on the importance of empowering women and girls with autism and involving them and their representative organizations in policy and decision making to address these challenges.

On the occasion, Minister of Labour and Social Development, Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan said that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), ratified by Bahrain in 2011, guarantees the full rights of people with autism, noting autistic people in the Kingdom enjoy equality and their rights for protection and services, on par with all members of society, are guaranteed as per the law.

He affirmed that the Labour and Social Development Ministry is keen on removing all obstacles facing citizens with autism, in line with the kingdom’s policies in this regard.

He called for the need to raise awareness of autism, and to allow patients to showcase their creative potentials.

He added that in line with the government directives, a total of 528 persons with autism have received the disability allowance until March this year.

The minister affirmed that the Labour and Social Development Ministry provides 84% of the budget of the four autism-oriented rehabilitation centres in the Kingdom, of which 457 persons have benefited.

He highlighted the Comprehensive Disability Complex, which is currently implemented by the Labour and Social Development Ministry.

The complex is located in the Ali area. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa AL Khalifa issued an order to set aside three hectares of land for the complex. Part of this land was reserved for the Abdulla Kanoo Diagnosis and Disability Evaluation Centre. The building contains several specialised clinics including a Dental Clinic, a Diagnosis Clinic, a Physiotherapy Clinic and others. 

The complex includes ten buildings for different purposes: evaluation and guidance, physiotherapy, re, multi-disability care, health club, Down’s Syndrome Centre, learning and training resources, administrative building and products show centre. The complex is part of the Labour and Social Development Ministry’s keenness on providing more services for people with autism, he added.