TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Reported by Mahir Hanif
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has ratified and promulgated the Law (21) of 2023 amending the Law (18) of 2006 on Social Security, with the approval of the Shura and Parliament and Parliament.
The main change in the law from 2006 is that the Cabinet has been given the power to add categories of citizens eligible for welfare benefits. A new paragraph has been added to Article 3 that enumerates the categories of eligible persons.
“The Cabinet may add new categories based on proposals from the Minister.” Article 3 of the 2006 law specifies that social assistance is available to Bahraini families and individuals residing in the Kingdom of Bahrain who fall into nine categories specified in the law.
The nine categories include widows, divorced women, abandoned women, families of prisoners, unmarried girls, orphans, people with disabilities or inability to work, the elderly, and children. In April of this year, five MPs introduced a bill in the House of Representatives Council that would provide all Bahraini families whose breadwinner’s income is below the minimum amount necessary for family survival, assistance to meet the minimum standards. I suggested that it should be given.
Similarly, it is proposed that if an adult’s income is below the minimum standard, he or she should receive financial support to meet the minimum standard of living. In addition to the changes to the Cabinet’s powers, some changes were made to his two articles (Articles 1 and 2) of the 2006 Act, including definitions.
Paragraph 1, which previously read “Ministry of Social Development,” has been changed to “Ministry responsible for social development.” Paragraph 2, which previously read “Minister of Social Development,” should now be read as “Minister Responsible for Social Development.”