Human rights in Kuwait

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Kuwait
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Kuwait

Al-Sabah Dynasty Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prime Minister Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah National Assembly Political parties Elections: 2006 Governorates Foreign relations Human rights
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Human rights in Kuwait are mixed. Whereas male Kuwaiti nationals enjoy a moderate range of rights, there are severe allegations of human rights abuses among foreign nationals. Kuwait uses the death penalty for serious crimes like murder and drug trafficking.

1 Treaties
2 Women
3 Foreign nationals
4 Press
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Treaties

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

[edit] Women

Main article: Women in Arab societies

Until recently, the right to vote was not extended to women. Starting in the parliamentary elections in 2006, women were allowed to vote, though there was low turnout^[2]. Despite this change, women are still treated as inferior in law and society. As of 2001, the Personal Status Law puts women under men in marriage, inheritance and testimony in court^[3] Legally, married women are mostly subservient to their husbands and lack independence in several areas, giving women virtually no power in everything from divorce to freedom of movement^[4].

It has been argued that Kuwaiti rulers attempt to moderate the demands of citizens by deflecting discontent from themselves onto domestic social groups, through the strategy of 'divide & rule'. Also that they appeal to neopatriarchal principles to boost their legitimacy - both placing women at a disadvantage. ^[5]

[edit] Foreign nationals

Individuals of foreign descent who live permanently in Kuwait, or bidun, have severely limited rights. Until recently, it was nearly impossible to gain citizenship, and it is still limited. Bidun who fail to gain citizenship or register as foreigners face the threat of deportation. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, "Kuwait severely restricted their rights to leave and return to Kuwait, to marry and found a family, and to work, and their children's rights to education, to be registered immediately after birth, and to acquire a nationality."^[3] After the Gulf War of 1990-1991, Kuwait expelled more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees (after the PLO allied itself with Iraq during its invasion of Kuwait). Guest workers also encounter several human rights abuses, and the right to organize a labor union is limited^[4].

[edit] Press

In 2005 Kuwait ranked 85th in the Reporters Without Borders world survey of the freedom of the press^[6]. According to the 2004 full report, Kuwait ranks among the most free countries in the Middle East for the press, but there is still widespread self-censorship of local and foreign press, and certain subjects are understood to be taboo.^[7]