Children

Children are Bahrain’s foremost priority and the best hope for its future. In line with this principle, the Kingdom acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, pursuant to Decree No. (16) of 1991, on February 13, 1992.

To advance children’s affairs, protect their rights, and provide them with the necessary care, the Kingdom established a Child Protection Centre, a social welfare institution affiliated with the Ministry of Social Development. The Directorate of Social Welfare protects children up to 18 years of age from all forms of abuse and neglect, including sexual and psychological abuse, extreme neglect, and more.

Rights of the Child in the Kingdom

The Kingdom of Bahrain honors all its obligations to safeguard children within its borders and also to help protect children from cross-border crimes. The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the General Assembly on November 20, 1989, and came into effect on September 2, 1990, in addition to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. In addition, the Kingdom of Bahrain acceded in 2001 to Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

Keeping Children Safe

The Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by the Ministry of Social Development, provides a range of care services for children of unknown parentage, orphans, and children from broken families through several facilities:

• Child Protection Centers & Child Helpline 998 Service
• Boys' Care Home
• Batelco Child Care Home
• Children and Youth Club
• National Commission for Childhood

Child Protection Centres

Services provided by the Child Protection Centre Include:

• Protecting children from family and other types of abuse.
• Protecting children during investigations.
• Providing psychological, social, and legal services and coordinating with authorities.
• Rehabilitating families to help keep children in their home environments whenever possible.
• Finding alternative families for children who have been subjected to abuse.
• Raising awareness among children and the community about child protection and rights.
• Monitoring the implementation and application of laws and treaties related to child protection.
• Free Child Helpline 998 to report children’s exposure to violence and abuse.

Child Helpline 998

The Child Helpline (998) is a toll-free, round-the-clock number that receives calls from children or concerned adults reporting violence, abuse, or danger.

Its objectives are to:

•  Protect children from abuse.
•  Provide psychological and social support over the phone to children.
• Transfer cases to authorities, and when possible, to provide other necessary services.
• Provide consultation to families or those involved with children.
• Provide legal advice to the family when necessary.

Reporting Cybercrimes 992

With the ever-increasing number of social and gaming platforms and channels of communication, children and minors are more exposed than ever before to cybercrimes, cyberbullying, grooming, potential sexual or physical assault, and other forms of harm.

The General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic & Electronic Security provides several options for children and their parents to report such incidents:

• Calling the Directorate’s hotline on (992)
• Filling out the reporting form online 
• Contacting the Directorate via WhatsApp on +973 17108108

These helplines contribute to SDG 16's goal of promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions by protecting children from abuse and providing social and legal support to those in need, thereby ensuring a safer and more just society.

Orphans

The Royal Humanitarian Foundation provides a range of services for orphans and widows including financial, educational, health and psychological support to ensure their well-being. Beneficiaries can apply for the following programs:

• Support of Orphans and Widows to receive the necessary sponsorship
• Psychological Counselling to positively adapt to the conditions of their loss and to support them in overcoming the psychological pressures and difficulties they face
• Educational Care to provide children in need of support with special educational services. The sponsorship is granted to orphans until the age of 18, or until the age of 24 if they are pursuing their education in school or university.
• Health Care including complimentary consultation and treatment at several hospitals and private clinics, as well as free or discounted treatment and medical equipment, and appropriate health education
• Social Welfare activities organized by the foundation in multiple aspects related to educational, cultural and recreational, aiming to instill values, ethics and life skills in orphans and widows, develop their confidence, and qualify them to contribute to the development of society.

Children and Youth Clubs

Keeping children busy with wholesome activities that have educational and health benefits, or are just plain fun, is among the most important services a government can offer young people.

As the entity responsible for public policies in this regard, the Ministry of Social Development has made available a range of programmes throughout the year for youngsters aged 7 to 18 years, especially during the summer break when they are off from school for an extended period.

The goals of these programs include nurturing their talent, instilling in them a national and cultural identity, promoting critical thinking and creativity, fostering teamwork and volunteerism, encouraging expression and creativity, and cultivating good behaviour and values.

Registration for programs is available online through the Children and Youth Club Registration Service and to view the list of available Children and Youth programs and activities.

Moreover, the Ministry of Education offers the Registration in Summer Clubs eService for students from public and private schools to benefit from a range of programs provided by the Ministry.

These initiatives contribute to SDG 4: Quality Education by nurturing talent, promoting critical thinking and creativity, and providing educational and cultural experiences to children and youth, thereby enhancing access to quality education.

National Commission for Childhood

The National Commission for Childhood was re-formed through the Council of Ministers’ Decision No. 46 of 2007, confirming the importance given by the Kingdom of Bahrain to issues related to childhood, and its desire to develop and promote all aspects of the care provided to children.

Promoting National Identity and Values

The Bahrainouna program aims towards installing national identity and belonging through multiple initiatives, such as student awareness which is an awareness program that aims to promote national identity and support students' national belonging and political upbringing in line with national values, through focusing on the reform project of His Royal Highness King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. This is done through a series of workshops, educational films, human rights competitions. National Identity is also promoted to students through various programs within their curriculum.