Government meeting to follow up on the Family Protection Program and discuss observations and proposals to enhance implementation efficiency

Sultan Al-Abdan: Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Children’s Issues, Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaila, affirmed that the family constitutes the fundamental pillar in building society and the primary incubator of values, ethics, and identity. She emphasized that protecting the family is a shared responsibility among various government entities, contributing to enhancing community security and achieving sustainable development goals.

Speaking during a follow-up meeting for the Family Protection Program yesterday afternoon, attended by Justice Minister and Advisor Nasser Al-Sameet and several officials and representatives of participating government entities to review progress levels and discuss coordination and integration mechanisms, Al-Huwaila stated that the program is the first of its kind in Kuwait under a unified government umbrella. It involves 13 government entities working in an integrated manner, alongside the inclusion of specialized initiatives in cybersecurity among its axes.

She explained that the program combines legal, social, educational, security, and health aspects, aiming to develop a comprehensive system for protecting the family through several strategic axes. These include updating legislation and family court laws to close loopholes and safeguard the rights of all family members, as well as enhancing digital justice and electronic transformation to facilitate litigation and consultation services.

Al-Huwaila added that the program focuses on raising community awareness, early prevention of negative behavioral phenomena, and strengthening governance and professional efficiency by relying on data and indicators to develop social policies. She commended the cooperation of participating government entities, expressing her gratitude to the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, for his initiative to have the Cybersecurity Center participate in the program. She stressed that the integrated efforts of participating entities have contributed to advancing the program toward achieving its targets according to specified timelines.

She noted that the meeting was dedicated to reviewing accomplishments over the past two months since the program’s launch, and discussing observations and proposals that contribute to improving implementation efficiency and addressing any challenges that may hinder the work process, thereby ensuring the achievement of desired goals in protecting and stabilizing the family. She emphasized the importance of unifying the visual identity of the Family Protection Program, considering it a key element in ensuring the delivery of the program’s messages in a unified and clear manner. She stressed the necessity of adopting uniform standards for selecting speakers and participants in events to preserve the program’s objectives and messages.

Al-Huwaila stated that the success of initiatives depends on continuous coordination among government entities, clarifying that periodic meetings focus on reviewing implementation plans and following up on work mechanisms, with the nomination of specialized representatives from each entity according to their respective jurisdictions.

She pointed out that participating ministries and entities submit periodic reports detailing accomplishments and implementation challenges, which are then compiled into a unified report showcasing the experiences of all entities. This contributes to performance evaluation and the formulation of appropriate solutions. She added that launching any initiative within the program must be preceded by ensuring the availability of necessary resources, whether specialized personnel, resources, or designated venues. She affirmed that the goal is to implement initiatives efficiently, rather than merely discussing them.

Al-Huwaila stressed that integration among government entities represents the fundamental pillar for the success of the National Family Protection Program, in accordance with Cabinet directives. She noted that the program is distinguished by its flexibility and the ability to develop its initiatives in line with updates to legislation, laws, and international conventions ratified by the State of Kuwait.

For his part, Justice Minister and Advisor Nasser Al-Sameet affirmed that the Family Protection Program is the first comprehensive government program dedicated to protecting the family and child in Kuwait, noting that it represents one of the priorities outlined in the government’s work program.

Al-Sameet said the program, which includes 86 initiatives distributed among 13 government entities, enjoys the blessing of the political leadership and the support of Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, reflecting the importance of the family and child protection file and the necessity of transforming it into actionable and measurable initiatives. He stated that the program’s success requires government entities to work within a single, interconnected system through the exchange of information and expertise, and providing support and consultations, thereby turning initiatives into a cohesive government pathway.

He praised the role of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in overseeing the program’s implementation and following up on its initiatives, commending Minister Al-Huwaila’s expertise and follow-up on this file as important factors in ensuring the program’s success and achieving its objectives. He emphasized the importance of the Ministry of Information’s role in highlighting implemented government initiatives in the field of family and child protection and conveying awareness messages to society, explaining that the success of any initiative is incomplete without introducing it to the community and demonstrating its impact.

He also highlighted the role of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in family awareness by dedicating monthly sermons and programs addressing family issues such as marriage, divorce, financial support, kindness to parents, family disputes, and leveraging the spread of mosques, preachers, and social media to enhance awareness.

Al-Sameet said that combating bullying in schools requires a clear program in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, defining the distinction between an educational problem and administrative intervention within the school, and an act that necessitates legal or criminal intervention.

She added that Kuwait possesses an advanced system for dealing with child victims, juvenile offenders, and children who commit crimes, commending the expertise of staff in the Juvenile Police, Juvenile Prosecution, the Ministry of Justice, and relevant authorities. She highlighted Kuwait’s experience in caring for juveniles, which is considered among the distinguished experiences, having been presented before specialized international bodies after international experts praised the level of programs, facilities, and services provided to juveniles in the country.

She noted that the previous challenge lay in some entities operating in isolation, weak media and international visibility of national efforts, and a lack of clear coordination among initiatives and projects, despite the distinction of many of them. She called for starting with easy and executable initiatives that do not require large budgets, complex procedures, or long timeframes, thereby contributing to the display of early results and enhancing public trust in the program.

She affirmed that the Ministry of Justice is a key partner in implementing the program through providing legal support, specialized consultations, and contributing to drafting legislation and laws related to the protection of the family and child, as well as supporting programs linked to juveniles, child victims, and domestic violence. She stressed the necessity for all entities to recognize the importance of the program, work with a spirit of teamwork, and make the protection of the family and child a priority in government performance, thereby achieving tangible results that enhance family stability and protect society.

During the meeting, the Office of the Minister of Social Affairs presented a visual presentation on the follow-up report on the implementation of the government program for the protection of the family for the period from June to July 22, 2026, prepared by the Supreme Council for the Family as the monitoring and coordination body among relevant government entities.

The report outlined the key data and general indicators regarding the level of progress in implementing initiatives, clarifying that the initiatives are distributed across axes of governance, legislation, services, protection, prevention, awareness building, youth empowerment, and international cooperation. It indicated that the report showed progress in several initiatives related to enhancing family protection, raising community awareness, developing digital services, providing psychological and social support, and combating negative behavioral phenomena, reflecting the engagement of participating entities with the program’s objectives.

She affirmed that the next phase requires continued teamwork and the unification of government efforts to ensure the implementation of initiatives within a clear and sustainable institutional framework that enhances the protection of the family and child and supports community stability.

Isolation of members from the board of directors of a cooperative society in Al-Farwaniya governorate

The Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood, Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaili, issued a decision to isolate members from the board of directors of a cooperative society in Al-Farwaniya governorate, following financial and administrative violations committed by them, according to the findings of the Audit and Review Committee on the association’s operations and accounts, and the relevant advisory committee. The decision comes within the framework of enhancing governance, protecting shareholders’ funds, and ensuring the proper functioning of cooperative societies.