Your Child Breaks It, Who Pays? Manal Dhahi Explains Liability in Bahrain
Manal Dhahi discusses when parents, schools and other supervisors may be responsible for damage caused by children.
MANAL ALI ABBAS ALI AHMED DHAHI — 03/11/2026
MANAMA, BAHRAIN — Lawyer Manal Dhahi has explained when parents, schools and other supervisors may be responsible for damage caused by children, in an interview with The Daily Tribune. Her comments highlight the importance of identifying who was responsible for supervising the child when the incident occurred.
A broken bottle in a supermarket, damage to a parked car or a classroom window can raise a difficult question: who must pay when a child causes the damage? As Manal Dhahi explained in the newspaper feature, the answer depends on the circumstances and the legal duty of supervision.
Who Had the Duty to Supervise?
Article 170 of Bahrain's Civil Code, issued by Legislative Decree No. 19 of 2001, addresses liability where a person has a legal or contractual duty to supervise someone who requires supervision. The supervisor may be liable for damage resulting from that person's unlawful act, subject to the conditions of the provision.
The provision also allows the supervisor to establish that appropriate supervision was exercised, or that the damage would have occurred even if that duty had been properly fulfilled.
Damage to Vehicles and Other Property
The interview gives the example of a child throwing a ball and breaking a parked car's window or damaging its side mirror. The owner may seek compensation for repairs, but deciding who is responsible requires examination of the incident and the child's supervision at the time.
The fact that a child caused the damage does not, by itself, answer every question about who must compensate the owner.
What Happens at School?
Article 170 provides for supervision to pass to the teacher while the child is under the teacher's care. Article 171 substitutes the state's liability for that of a teacher in a government school, and the private school or institute owner's liability for that of its teacher. Recourse against the teacher requires proof of the teacher's fault.
Examples discussed in the feature include a student breaking a classroom window or damaging another student's belongings during a lesson. Responsibility must be assessed in light of the circumstances rather than assumed to remain with the parents throughout the school day.
Shops, Supermarkets and Shopping Malls
Manal Dhahi also explained that responsibility for damage in a shop depends on who was supervising the child. If a child accompanying a parent drops a bottle, damages a product or pushes a trolley into a shelf, the location alone does not determine liability.
Supermarket management is not automatically responsible merely because the incident occurred inside the store. Whether any error or negligence by management contributed to the damage is also relevant.
A different situation may arise in a children's play area or nursery operated by a shopping mall. Where the operator has taken responsibility for supervising the child, its potential liability must be considered under the applicable legal conditions.
The Importance of the Circumstances
The central message of the interview is that compensation questions require more than identifying the child or the place where the damage happened. The duty of supervision, how that duty was carried out and the circumstances leading to the damage all matter.
For advice about a particular compensation claim or civil dispute, contact Manal Dhahi Legal Group.
Media Source
Adapted from The Daily Tribune feature “Your Child Breaks It, Who Pays?”, reported by Rehab Mohammad, featuring legal commentary from Manal Dhahi. Published on 3 November 2026, page 4.
Read the original Daily Tribune report — 3 November 2026, page 4 (PDF)
Legal reference: Bahrain Civil Code, Articles 170 and 171.