Human Rights Report Paints a Bleak Picture of Migrant and Domestic Worker Rights in Kuwait

The Kuwait Times printed a front page article highlighting that advancements in the country's human rights agenda are still far from adequate following the release of a systematic report by a local "human rights watchdog." Amongst other critical issues, the Kuwait Society for Human Rights (KSHR) provided an assessment on the human rights issues Kuwait faces regarding domestic workers and expatriates vis a vis a newly reformed labor law.

The report, which showcased analyses on migrant workers, domestic workers, Kuwait's bedoon (stateless Arab) population, and freedoms in the media and within parliament, devoted a sizable portion of its findings to the violations committed against Kuwait's substantial migrant worker population.

The article reports that the KSHR revealed that efforts from within Kuwaiti society along with input from local NGO's were unsuccessful in ameliorating the Kafeela sponsorship system and that several expat labor groups, including cleaners, security guards, and power meter readers are still struggling to obtain unpaid salaries guaranteed in their employment contracts. Within the report, the KSHR notes that it has received several worker complaints against employers demanding unpaid wages that in some cases, exceeded a period of over nine months and indicate continued violations of migrant worker rights in the country.

The report further asserts that the Ministry of Social Development (responsible for regulating Kuwait's foreign labor population) has failed to implement proper mechanisms to ensure that employers are fulfilling their obligations towards their workers and to penalize violating employers to avert damage to the country's image.

Domestic worker issues were also raised. The report underscored the lack of legal protections Kuwait's estimated 600,000 domestic workers face and that the problem is only going to worsen given the country's increasing demand for housemaids. The report stated that it is the responsibility of the government to implement safeguards to preserve domestic worker rights, maintain the employers compliance to fulfill these rights, and prevent further violations and human trafficking.

With regards to Kuwait's new labor law, the report championed the Kuwaiti government's long overdue amendments to incorporate greater legal protection for expatriate workers in the country but also demonstrated concern over the absence of a minimum wage clause and the entire exclusion of domestic workers from its jurisdiction. The report urged parliamentarians to pass the Domestic Helpers Bill set to travel through the legal channels later this year and to push for more services for housemaids-like shelters for runaways.