Bahrain

After making major strides in social indicators from the 1960s through the 1990s, Bahrain is on track to meet most of the Millennium Development Goals. Because more than a quarter of the population is under age fifteen, efforts to improve the health and education of children have a major impact on the entire nation.

Issues facing children in Bahrain

• Public education is free for all students, and compulsory for children ages six to fifteen. This has translated into a literacy rate of 90 per cent, a steady increase over the past few decades.
• More than 90 per cent of Bahraini children have been immunized against preventable childhood diseases. Reported maternal mortality rates are less than 50 per 100,000 births, and under-five mortality rates are 11 per 1,000 births.
• HIV/AIDS prevalence is low, but there is little awareness of how the virus is spread.

Activities and results for children

• The subject of HIV/AIDS is becoming less taboo. The government has made it a national priority to stop the spread of the disease.
• A new youth parliament has been created, giving teens an opportunity to share their opinions on the issues that shape their lives.
• With the formation of civil groups such as women’s unions and associations advocating for the disabled, new voices are participating in society.