Conventions & Covenants Concerning Human Rights in State of Kuwait

International Covenants

The State of Kuwait has acceded to six of the seven United Nations conventions on human rights, namely:

1-        The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1996).

2-        The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1996).

3-        The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. (1968).

4-        The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Woman (1994).

5-        The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1994).

6-        The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991).

Kuwait has also acceded to "the two optional protocols attached to the Convention on the Rights of the Child" concerning the involvement of children in armed conflicts and the sale of children and exploiting them in prostitution and pornographic materials (2004).

It has also acceded to seven conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions concerned with human rights, namely:

1-        Convention (87) on the Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining (1961).

2-        The two Conventions (29), (105) that pertain to Elimination of Forced or Compulsory Labor (1968, 1961 respectively).

3-        Convention (111) on the Prevention of Discrimination in respect of Employment and Occupation (1966).

4-        The two Conventions (138), (182) that pertain to the Prevention of Employing Children and Minors (1999, 2000 respectively).

5-        Convention (98) on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining (2007).

Regional Charters

Kuwait has agreed to the "Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam" issued in 1990 by the conference of foreign ministers of Islamic countries. The Declaration is a guiding document that does not require ratification. It has also agreed to the "Arab Charter of Human Rights" adopted in May 2004 by the Arab Summit in Tunisia but Kuwait did not ratify the Charter just like most Arab countries.

List of the Conventions Kuwait acceded thereto:

1-        Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention.

2-        Slavery Convention of 1926

3-        Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1929.

4-        Convention on the Prevention of Discrimination in respect of Employment and Occupation.

5-        The Fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV), 1949.

6-        Forced or Compulsory Labor Convention, 1930

7-        The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

8-        Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others.

9-        Convention between the Government of Kuwait and United Nations Children's Fund "UNICEF".

10-   International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid.

11-   The Two Protocols Additional to Geneva Conventions.

12-   International Convention on the Rights of the Child.

13-    The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Woman.

14-   Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

15-   Convention on the Non-Prescription of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.

16-   The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

17-   The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

18-   Convention on the Rights of Intellectual Property.

19-   Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor.

Conventions against international terrorism to which Kuwait has acceded, namely:

1-        Hague Convention of 1970 for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, and Kuwait has acceded thereto in 1970.

2-        Montréal Convention of 1971 for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, to which Kuwait has acceded to in 1979.

3-        Tokyo Convention of 1963 on the Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, to which Kuwait has acceded in 1979.s

4-        Montreal Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, and Kuwait has acceded thereto in 1988.

5-        Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, Including Diplomatic Agents; Kuwait has acceded to this Convention in 1988.

6-        Convention against the Taking of Hostages, to which Kuwait has acceded in 1988.