Bahrain Special Needs Pilot Program

As part of its Regional Family Law Program, Freedom House partnered with the Bahrain Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled (BAPFD) launched its Bahraini Women Advocates of Special Needs Pilot Program. The BAPFD, which was established in Bahrain in 2003, aims to protect the rights of the disabled, integrate them into society and support and encourage them. Through this partnership, Freedom House and the BAPFD formulated a steering committee consisting of local and regional experts and trainers, as well as Freedom House and BAPFD staff members. The steering committee was established to determine the unique needs and challenges of women who deal with disabilities, both in their everyday lives and as members of society, and to structure a training program that will provide these women with the skills necessary to overcome these obstacles and promote their rights.

Freedom House's Training Program deals with a broad range of disabilities, including autism and mental, physical, hearing, and visual disabilities and each workshop is conducted by two trainers-- one academic and another who has the experience either as a woman with a disability, the parent of a disabled child or a teacher who works with the disabled. The academic trainer will provide the participants with the information and the knowledge on how to deal with disabilities, while the other trainer will provide the participants with his/her practical experience. The training includes three phases:

Phase I targeting parents of the disabled
Phase II targeting distinct groups of women with disabilities
Phase III targeting teacher of the disabled