Human rights in Kuwait

Kuwait is a party to several international human rights treaties, including[1]

• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
• Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery
• Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others
• United Nations Convention Against Torture
• Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour
• Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour
• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention
• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
• Convention against Discrimination in Education

In 1990, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein invaded next door Kuwait. The Iraqi military forces defeated Kuwaiti forces and they abused many Kuwaiti citizens and residents. Some were taken back to Iraq and released later.[2]

Thousands of migrant workers are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait. The workers were subject to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, poor work conditions, threats, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement.[3][4] Repeated abusers include M A Al-Kharafi & Sons and its subsidiary Kharafi National that have been cited by human rights organizations and the United States Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Kuwait.[5][6][7]

There are 100,000 Bedoon in Kuwait. The Bedoon are reportedly stateless people. Kuwait considers the Bedoon illegal immigrants, but many of these persons were originally from Kuwait and failed to register after independence[8]

Kuwaiti women are among the most emancipated women in the Middle East region. In 2014 and 2015, Kuwait was ranked first among Arab countries in the Global Gender Gap Report.[9][10][11] In 2013, 53% of Kuwaiti women participated in the labor force.[12] Kuwaiti women outnumber men in the workforce. At the end of a 9-day visit to Kuwait on 15 December 2016, the UN Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice praised Kuwait for its achievements in education and in the labour force, but warned against the persistent barriers, both in law and in practice, on the path of women's quest for full equality[13] UN human rights experts Alda Facio and Kamala Chandrakirana said despite significant achievements, “discrimination against women persists in law and in practice, particularly in the context of the family and nationality laws, based on the presumption of women’s dependence on men, which is contrary to the principle of equality.”[14]

Muslim women in Kuwait are discriminated under the family law. Children born to a Kuwaiti mother and non-Kuwaiti father do not get Kuwaiti citizenship, unless a decree is passed by the Minister of Interior.[15]

LGBT people living in Kuwait may face discriminatory laws and public attitudes.

Voice over Internet Protocol is legal in Kuwait.[16]

According to a 2009 report from the Reporters without Borders, Kuwait is engaged in pervasive Internet filtering and selective filtering in security areas. The primary target of Internet filtering is pornography. The Kuwait Ministry of Communication regulates ISPs, making them block pornography and anti-security websites.[17]

• Politics of Kuwait

• Press in Kuwait - IFEX
• Kuwait Health - Promoting health reform
• Human Rights Court Protects Foreign Workers in Kuwait