On the occasion of World Awareness Day for Autism Spectrum Disorders, the Ministry of Social Development is keen to continue providing support to people with autism spectrum disorders to enhance their
02-04-2024
Manama, April 2 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain participates with the countries of the world in the anniversary of World Autism Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day, on April 2 of each year, in order to highlight the importance of continuing to provide various means of support for people with autism, and promoting their integration into society. On this occasion, Mrs. Zainab Salman Al-Awainati, Assistant Undersecretary for Welfare and Social Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Social Development, member of the Supreme Committee for the Care of Persons with Disabilities, confirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain is distinguished by a pioneering experience in the field of integrated social policies between the governmental, private and private sectors, and achieving the principles of justice, equality and equal opportunities among all. Citizens in general, and people with disabilities in particular, to work to build a Bahraini society based on the principle of inclusion in which citizens from this societal group are able to exercise all their rights in a fair and equal manner through capacity building and empowerment of them, their families, their institutions, and all those interested in providing services to them. She said that participation in this day represents a clear indication of the Kingdom’s keenness to develop and implement plans and programs to raise awareness of the cases of people with autism spectrum disorder, who number 1,662 people, according to the Ministry’s statistics during last March, out of its belief that it is a shared responsibility to continue national efforts, to overcome The challenges before them, to ensure that they obtain the necessary tools to enjoy their basic rights and freedoms, towards enhancing their community participation in all fields. The Assistant Undersecretary for Welfare and Social Rehabilitation indicated that the Ministry is continuing to provide various forms of support for this group, including disbursing a monthly allocation of 200 dinars, in addition to advancing efforts to raise the level of provision of rehabilitative and educational services provided in private rehabilitation centers, as the Ministry covers the annual cost of rehabilitating the beneficiaries of these. There are 6 centres, concerned and specialized in providing rehabilitation services for people with autism, in addition to 27 private centres, where the Ministry has worked on licensing procedures for the purpose of rehabilitating people with autism spectrum disorder. In the context of seeking to provide more services to people with autism disorders, the Assistant Undersecretary indicated that a comprehensive disability complex is being established in the A’ali area, which has an area of approximately 20,106 square metres, and consists of several separate buildings. This complex aims to provide aspects of care and rehabilitation for people with disabilities from Various governorates of the Kingdom of Bahrain, for all ages and for both genders, and providing free rehabilitation, academic, shelter, sports, cultural, and training services to persons with disabilities, including cases of those with autism spectrum disorder, to ensure enhancing the opportunity for them to integrate into society, empower them, and develop their skills.