Social Development

Efforts have been made to enhance social care and improve living standards by offering diverse support to families, fostering social solidarity. This commitment includes establishing new institutions that provide a range of social services, such as care, development, rehabilitation, and protection for all segments of Bahraini society in need.

Under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kingdom of Bahrain has placed significant emphasis on social welfare, improving living standards, and providing various forms of support to families to strengthen social solidarity. The Kingdom has established numerous institutions offering a range of social services, including care, development, rehabilitation, and protection, targeting all segments of the Bahraini society, particularly the most vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly, children, and low-income families. In 2001, the Royal Humanitarian Foundation was established to lead these efforts.

Following this, in 2006, the Aman Shelter for victims of domestic violence was founded, followed by the establishment of family counselling offices and Dar Al Karama for social care in 2007. In 2008, Social Insurance Organisation was created, alongside the Capital Complex for Bahraini Handicrafts. In 2009, the Isa Award for Service to Humanity and the Family Microfinance House were launched, followed by the introduction of the child helpline (998) in 2011.

In 2014, Bahrain launched the Global Quran Recitation Competition (Al Qari Al Alami), and aligned its Government Plan with the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2016, the Royal Fund for fallen servicemen was established. In 2018, the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence was inaugurated, along with the King Hamad Chair for Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence in Italy. The Comprehensive Disability Complex was established in 2020, followed by the launch of the King Hamad Award for Peaceful Coexistence in 2023.

Bahrain’s integrated approach has also focused on creating policies that attract investment and generate promising opportunities for citizens. By enacting modern and flexible laws, the Kingdom has achieved a significant transformation in the labour market, enabling the private sector to absorb more job seekers. The Kingdom has provided incentives, such as wage support for national labour and skill development programmes, ensuring that Bahraini citizens are the preferred choice for employment. These effective economic policies have contributed to labour market stability, wage growth, and the expansion of small and medium enterprises by 2023.

The reign of His Majesty has also marked the flourishing of civil society organisations. Since the launch of the National Action Charter in 2001 and subsequent constitutional amendments, civil society organisations have grown significantly, from 182 licensed organisations in 1999 to 672 by 2024.

These organisations cover a wide range of fields, including women, youth, children, environment, charity, and human rights, contributing to Bahrain’s social, economic, and cultural development.