Kuwait: Systematic Iranian aggression threatens civilians' lives and fundamental rights
Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations, Ambassador Nasser Al-Hin, condemned on Tuesday the continued systematic Iranian aggression that endangers the lives and fundamental rights of civilians. He emphasized that the protection of civilians and civilian objects is a unified legal and moral obligation that must not be subject to selectivity, double standards, or discrimination.
This statement was made during the discussion of Kuwait’s comprehensive report on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is meeting in Geneva.
Ambassador Al-Hin, who chaired the Kuwaiti delegation before the Committee, stated that Kuwait’s participation in the dialogue stems from its voluntary commitments as a member of the Human Rights Council for the period 2024–2026. He noted that the dialogue takes place at a time when the world is witnessing a worrying decline in the enforcement of fundamental rights, alongside a surge in hate speech and racist practices that have even affected global sporting events.
He clarified that the dialogue holds particular significance given the exceptional security circumstances facing Kuwait, which has been subjected since February 28 to an unjust Iranian aggression that has repeatedly and deliberately targeted civilian objects and critical infrastructure. These include Kuwait International Airport, power stations, and water desalination and treatment plants, as well as other vital civilian facilities upon which residents depend for their daily lives.
He affirmed that state institutions continue to operate efficiently and activate emergency plans to ensure the uninterrupted provision of essential services to citizens and residents without discrimination. Al-Hin explained that Kuwait’s approach to combating discrimination is grounded in a solid constitutional basis that establishes justice, freedom, and equality as pillars of society. It recognizes that all people are equal in human dignity and before the law, without discrimination based on gender, origin, language, or religion, while guaranteeing freedom of belief, the practice of religious rites, and the right to legal recourse for all. Furthermore, he noted that the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination has become part of the national legal framework under Article 70 of the Constitution, in alignment with the “Kuwait 2035” vision and the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan.
He pointed out that the Standing National Committee for Preparing Reports and Monitoring the Implementation of Human Rights Recommendations, chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinates reporting and follows up on recommendations. It holds periodic consultations with civil society, academic institutions, and the National Authority for Human Rights, while also enhancing training for judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel on human rights principles.
He explained that the national policy on contract labor is based on Article 22 of the Constitution. The Law on the Residence of Foreigners regulates the sectors of work and residence and strengthens the fight against the trafficking of residence permits, in coordination with the Law on Combating Human Trafficking and the National Strategy for the period 2025–2028. Domestic workers are also subject to a legal and supervisory framework that includes receiving complaints, conducting investigations, imposing penalties, and referring cases to the judiciary, alongside shelter centers that provide legal, psychological, and health care.
He highlighted that health insurance measures for residents aim to govern services and improve the efficiency of the health system, while adhering to the constitutional obligation to guarantee the right to health and provide basic care and emergency services to all residents without discrimination.
