COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF KUWAIT ON COMPLIANCE WITH CONVENTION

AFTERNOON
HR/CRC/98/51
29 September 1998




The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its consideration of an initial report presented by the Government of Kuwait. Committee experts said the prevention of women from participating in national elections was a flagrant violation of human dignity.

In their preliminary concluding observations and recommendations, Committee experts expressed concern that women were excluded from the national elections of Kuwait and were not represented in the National Assembly. By virtue of their wisdom, women could contribute a lot to the society by participating in the democratic process of the country, they said.

The final concluding observations and recommendations of the Committee on the report of Kuwait will be presented at the end of its autumn session on 9 October.

As one of 191 States parties to the Convention, Kuwait is obligated to submit periodic summaries on its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.

After ending its consideration of the report of Kuwait, the Committee continued its discussion in private session to examine concluding observations and recommendations on reports already reviewed last week. The Committee will reconvene in public session at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 1 October to take up the report of Thailand.

Discussion

In a brief response to questions raised by Committee members during this morning's session, the delegation of the Government of Kuwait said that Kuwaitis were a minority in their own country. Among the total number of inhabitants in Kuwait, only 34 per cent were Kuwaitis. The rest of the population was made up of foreign migrant workers and members of their families.

With regards to landmines, the delegation said that following the invasion of Kuwait, the Iraqis had planted about 2 million landmines, including 50 types of anti-personnel and anti-tank landmines. The Kuwaiti Armed Forces had been clearing up a lot of the mines in collaboration with France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The task of detecting the devices was an ongoing operation with an average of 13 mines being uncovered daily.

As preventive measures, Kuwaiti children were given special classes to educate them on the nature and devastating effects of landmines, the delegation said. The Government taught children through manuals and guiding charts how to avoid the danger of landmines. Among the total number of victims of landmines, 33 per cent were children, added the delegation.

Preliminary Concluding Observations and Recommendations

Committee members welcomed the efforts of the Government of Kuwait in implementing the provisions of the Convention. Although the report lacked some details, the dialogue held with the delegation complimented the information in the report.

The Committee members further welcomed the preventive measures undertaken by the Government against the devastating effects of anti-personnel landmines which had victimized children and adults.

Committee experts expressed concern that women were excluded from the national elections of Kuwait and that they were not represented in the National Assembly. The experts said that preventing women from participating in elections was one of the most flagrant violations of human dignity. By virtue of their wisdom, women could contribute a lot to the society by participating in the democratic process of the country, they said.

Committee members recognized Kuwait's policy on free education up to university level. They also appreciated the efforts of the Government to relieve children from the war syndrome through special classes in school.

The Government was urged to set up a central body to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and raise awareness among the population on the rights of the child. It was also encouraged to take appropriate measures to strengthen the six major human rights instruments to which Kuwait was party. Committee members urged the Government to strengthen its commitment in all sections, including monitoring mechanisms and legislation; to update its national plan of action; and to increase efforts in data collection, among other things.