Al-Huwail to 'Al-Siyasah': Child protection in the digital age is no longer an option but a national necessity
“Family Council” Proposes New Legislative Bill and Government Program of 83 Initiatives
The Family is the First Line of Defense in Protecting Children
Digital Prevention is an Integral Part of the Family Protection System
Updating Legislation is Essential to Keep Pace with the Electronic Exploitation of Children
Amid the rapid transformations imposed by the digital age on the fabric of modern societies, social media has become an inseparable part of children’s daily lives. While it offers vast opportunities for learning, knowledge, and communication, it simultaneously generates growing challenges that threaten the psychological, behavioral, and social security of children and families.
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As digital platforms expand their influence in shaping the awareness of new generations, risks associated with unregulated usage are increasing. These include various forms of cyberbullying, digital grooming and exploitation, blackmail, privacy violations, and exposure to inappropriate content. Consequently, protecting children in the digital space has evolved from a traditional educational issue into a national concern that transcends conventional frameworks, becoming an essential component of the social security system.
A National Approach
In this regard, Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailan, Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood, and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, emphasized that these transformations are no longer mere technological developments, but societal challenges that necessitate the development of social protection tools. These tools must strike a balance between leveraging modern technologies and safeguarding children’s rights, ensuring their psychological and social well-being.
In a statement to “Al-Siyasa,” she added that addressing these challenges cannot rely solely on remedial measures after harm has occurred. Instead, it requires an integrated national approach based on early prevention, enhancing digital awareness within families, developing legislative frameworks, and coordinating roles among state institutions. This approach aims to entrench a culture of safe and responsible technology use.
The Council’s Role
She noted that the pivotal role played by the Supreme Council for Family Affairs is evident as the national umbrella responsible for formulating public policies for the family and childhood, and overseeing the coordination of relevant government efforts within the 2026-2029 Government Program for Family Protection.
She clarified that this program represents a qualitative leap in family affairs management, shifting work from scattered initiatives to an integrated institutional system based on governance, role coordination, priority unification, and impact measurement, thereby ensuring more sustainable outcomes.
She affirmed that the Council is working on formulating public policies for the social protection system, enhancing psychological counseling services, and developing legal, psychological, and social consultations. Furthermore, it is reinforcing the concept of community prevention through early intervention before family problems escalate, as well as through its media campaigns and institutional partnerships.
Digital Prevention
She stressed that protecting children in the digital environment is one of the Council’s priorities, stemming from its conviction that digital prevention has become an integral part of the family protection system, rather than merely an awareness activity. This conviction is reflected in the implementation of a comprehensive package of programs and initiatives aimed at raising community awareness and consolidating safe digital practices.
Media Initiatives
She stated that, in this context, the Council organized a number of lectures and workshops targeted at families and students. Among the most prominent was the lecture titled “Digital Addiction in Schools,” which focused on highlighting the psychological, behavioral, and educational impacts of excessive electronic device usage, promoting sound digital practices within families and schools, and reinforcing a culture of balance in children’s use of technological tools.
She added that the Council also carried out awareness and media campaigns through its digital platforms, in coordination with the National Cybersecurity Center, addressing various topics related to child protection in the digital space. These included fostering healthy digital habits among children, guidelines to be followed before allowing children to use electronic devices, and mechanisms to protect them from the risks of communicating with unknown accounts. Additionally, the campaigns disseminated advisory messages aimed at strengthening digital security awareness among families.
Digital Awareness
She emphasized that the Council’s efforts extended to implementing specialized awareness programs on the safe use of electronic devices and social media platforms, as well as raising awareness about the risks of online exploitation and digital grooming of children. These initiatives enhance community prevention and reinforce the responsibility of families and state institutions in providing a safer digital environment for children.
Legislative Protection
She noted that Kuwait possesses an advanced legislative framework that forms a solid foundation for protecting the family and childhood. This includes, foremost, Law No. 11 of 2026 on Protection from Domestic Violence and Law No. 21 of 2015 on the Rights of the Child, which established a comprehensive legal framework to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
She clarified that these laws constitute fundamental pillars of the national protection system. However, the rapid evolution of the digital environment necessitates the continuous updating of legal frameworks to keep pace with emerging developments and enhance the capacity to counter modern patterns of online exploitation targeting children.
Legislative Proposal
She revealed that the Supreme Council for Family Affairs has liaised with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the preparation of a legislative proposal specifically focused on protecting children in the digital environment. This initiative draws upon best regional and international practices, particularly pioneering experiences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as legislative experiences in France, Spain, and Finland.
She explained that the proposal, titled “Protection of Children’s Mental and Social Health in the Digital Environment,” involves adding a new chapter to Law No. 21 of 2015 on the Rights of the Child. This chapter addresses the legal protection of children in the digital environment and strengthens legislative guarantees related to children’s rights to the safe use of technology, aligning with rapid technological advancements.
She further added that the Council has also prepared the regulatory bylaws for receiving reports of violence against children and procedures for sheltering them. This enhances the institutional response system and provides a clear regulatory framework for addressing various forms of violence and harm that children may face, including risks associated with the digital environment. It ensures swift intervention and the provision of necessary protection through integrated institutional procedures.
Global Trend
She pointed out that the growing global discourse on regulating children’s use of social media platforms, including setting a minimum age for usage, reflects a shift in the philosophy of digital protection at the international level. This issue is being studied within national frameworks, in alignment with the specificities of Kuwaiti society and global best practices.
Government Program
She affirmed that the Government Program for Family Protection 2026–2029 represents a strategic shift in managing family affairs in the State of Kuwait. It embodies the country’s approach to transitioning from implementing isolated initiatives to building an integrated national system based on partnership, coordination, and governance among various government entities.
She clarified that the program comprises 83 initiatives implemented by 12 government entities, within a unified institutional framework covering various social, legal, educational, health, and security aspects. This approach enhances the integration of public policies and improves the efficiency of services provided to families and children.
She added that the program aims to strengthen the prevention of family breakdown, develop the family, psychological, and social counseling system, upgrade rehabilitation services, activate response mechanisms for domestic violence cases, and establish an integrated digital system that enables remote delivery of services, consultations, documentation, and related procedures. This contributes to accelerating access to services, enhancing performance quality, and boosting the efficiency of the social protection system.
She noted that the program reinforces the concept of integrated government action, relying on clear performance indicators and continuous monitoring and measurement mechanisms. This ensures the evaluation of outcomes, improvement of policies, and maximization of the social impact of national initiatives.
She emphasized that the program’s success is not measured solely by the number of implemented initiatives, but by its ability to achieve tangible impacts on family stability, enhance quality of life, and consolidate a safer and more cohesive social environment capable of keeping pace with the rapid changes the world is witnessing.
National Studies
She stressed that developing policies related to the protection of families and children cannot rely on general judgments or estimates, but must be based on scientific studies and national indicators that accurately track social and behavioral transformations, particularly those concerning the impact of the digital environment and social media on children and adolescents.
She added that the Council places great emphasis on preparing specialized studies and research, and building national databases and indicators that help anticipate future challenges and measure the scale of social phenomena. This provides a scientific foundation to support policymakers in developing preventive and therapeutic policies and programs.
She clarified that this approach enhances the efficiency of resource allocation, increases the effectiveness of government interventions, and ensures that national initiatives respond to the actual needs of Kuwaiti families based on scientific principles and measurable, evaluable indicators.
Future Vision
She affirmed that the coming phase will see an expansion of national programs aimed at protecting children in the digital environment. This will be achieved by strengthening institutional partnerships, intensifying awareness initiatives, upgrading family, psychological, and social counseling services, developing the legal consultation system, and enhancing the capacity of national personnel working in the field of social protection.
She added that the Council will continue to work with various government entities, civil society organizations, and the academic sector to consolidate a culture of safe and responsible technology use, raise community awareness of digital risks, and empower families to fulfill their preventive role as the first line of defense in protecting children. She pointed out that building a safe digital environment for children is a shared national responsibility that requires integrated roles among families, educational institutions, government entities, and media outlets. This contributes to providing an integrated system that responds to rapid changes and keeps pace with technological development.
She stated that child protection in the digital age is no longer an option, but has become a national imperative and a strategic investment in Kuwait’s future. She emphasized that genuine investment begins with a conscious family, a safe child, and a cohesive society, and stressed that the Council will continue to develop its policies and programs in collaboration with various partners, guided by a national vision that holds prevention as the foundation, and that the protection of the family and childhood constitutes the cornerstone of achieving sustainable development and enhancing social stability.
The Government Program for Family Protection 2026–2029
● 83 initiatives.
● 12 government entities.
● A unified institutional framework.
● Covers social, legal, educational, health, and security aspects.
● Relies on performance indicators and continuous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
