Speaker to patronise forum for people with special needs

Manama, May 23 (BNA): Under the patronage of the Speaker of the Council of Representatives Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al Mulla, the "Parliamentary Forum of People with Special Needs" will be held next Thursday, May 28. The forum is one of the activities and programmes of the initiative "Social Communication," launched by the Council of Representatives for the sake of intensifying its interaction with all segments of the Bahraini society, in order to strengthen relations and have access to citizens and workers as well as discussing all the proposals and needs. The parliamentary forum is expected to attract more than 150 members who represent associations, centers and committees working with people with disabilities and special needs, a number of officials from the state ministries and Bahrain Union for the Disabled. The Services Committee at Representatives Council will supervise the forum and social communication committee at General Secretariat of Council of Representatives will organise and manage the forum. The forum will feature panel discussions, and group sessions between MPs and members in associations, centers and committees working with people with disabilities and special needs on their suggestions and aspirations. It will identify the obstacles facing them and ways to overcome them, in order to discuss them in the parliament sessions, submit them to the government and follow-up on their implementation. The council of representatives held recently a number of forums for the young people, athletes, fishermen, workers and women. The council will organise more specialised parliamentary forums for different sectors and segments of the society. The speaker had announced last February the formation of the social communication committee, in line with the council’s new strategy of activating community partnership and promoting positive relations with the society segments. The committee aims to organise parliamentary events for the sectors of society and visits to local majlis and public and private institutions, so as to promote community communication between the council and the citizens and residents. The committee reflects the council’s efforts under the reform project led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, identify citizens’ observations and suggestions, develop relations with the community, through field visits to state institutions and all events, associations and centers, ministries, schools and universities in the Kingdom of Bahrain.