Minister of Social Affairs: Judicial Police Organization for Staff of Domestic Violence Protection Centers

The Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs, Dr. Amthal Al-Huwail, announced the issuance of a ministerial decision regulating the rules and procedures for exercising judicial police authority by staff of the Protection Centers Administration under the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, in implementation of the provisions of Decree-Law No. (11) of 2026 concerning Protection from Domestic Violence.

Dr. Al-Huwail told KUNA that the decision aims to empower qualified national cadres, both legally and socially, to protect vulnerable groups, monitor cases of domestic violence, and address them immediately within a legislative framework that ensures justice, confidentiality, and integrity.

She added that the decision specified the conditions for granting judicial police authority to staff of the Protection Centers Administration. These conditions include being a Kuwaiti national of good conduct and reputation, submitting a recent criminal record certificate, and holding at least a bachelor’s degree in fields such as psychological counseling, social counseling, or law.

The minister clarified that the conditions also require completing a specialized training course coordinated with the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies, and taking a legal oath before the President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs prior to assuming duties.

She noted that the decision grants relevant staff the authority to ensure the safety of victims, including monitoring cases of violence, inspecting locations legally permitted for entry, and documenting observations and data in official reports. Additionally, staff are empowered to request documents, preserve evidence, and refer reports to competent authorities without delay.

Dr. Al-Huwail stated that the decision prohibits staff from abusing their influence or powers for personal gain, interfering in family relations outside the scope of work, or issuing media statements and publishing images that reveal the identities of the cases involved.

She further indicated that the decision obligates staff to immediately recuse themselves and notify their direct supervisor if there are grounds to suspect a conflict of interest with any party involved in a case, thereby ensuring complete neutrality and objectivity.

The minister added that the decision emphasizes strict confidentiality for all data, correspondence, and documents related to domestic violence cases, and that this obligation continues even after the employee’s service has ended.

The Minister of Social Affairs stated that the concerned administration is responsible for preparing an annual statistical report to evaluate the protection system and monitor practical challenges, while prohibiting the inclusion of any data that might reveal the identities of the victims.

She explained that the decision represents a qualitative leap in institutionalizing social and legislative work in the State of Kuwait, providing a secure legal environment that safeguards the dignity of the family and its members, particularly children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.