GENEVA: Kuwait on Tuesday heaped praises on the contributions of its women as an ad hoc UN committee gathered to discuss the progress of global efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. The need for “constructive dialogue” is paramount to pushing forward efforts aiming to clamp down on all practices seen as discriminatory against women, Kuwait’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Nasser Al-Hain, told the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Geneva, in which he underlined his country’s firm backing for women’s rights and empowerment.

Kuwaiti women were lauded just five days earlier on a special day dedicated to their accomplishments at home, which include, but are not limited to, their full-fledged political rights, the Kuwaiti diplomat underlined, highlighting the event as encapsulating state-wide efforts to establish gender parity. Accounting for 51 percent of the national population and 58 percent of the workforce, respectively, Kuwaiti women have contributed immensely towards economic development and the local job market, he added, citing his country as among the longest-standing CEDAW members, having first signed back in 1994.

Kuwait has routinely compiled its national report on measures the country has taken against the discrimination of women, the last of which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw women at the forefront of state efforts to curb the spread of the virus through their participation in various initiatives, he said. In a testament to its unflinching belief in women’s rights and empowerment, Kuwait has gradually modified relevant legislation in a bid to keep abreast of global developments on the matter while simultaneously keeping intact the advancements made in the protection of women’s rights, added the diplomat.

Human rights issues

The Foreign Ministry initiated in 2019 a department for human rights affairs out of belief in the importance of prioritizing human rights issues on national and international scales. The department is headed by Ambassador Jawaher Al-Sabah, who was unable to join us today due to private reasons. The Ministry also set up the national standing committee for reporting and following up on recommendations related to human rights under ministerial decree No 54 for December 19, 2019.

The committee works out regular and irregular reports on human rights situations in Kuwait. The Ministry issued ministerial decree No 191 for December 4, 2023, on setting up the national committee on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on “women, peace, and security.” The committee is tasked with drawing up the policies, programs, and strategic plans for the implementation of the women’s agenda. It aspires to work out regular reports and present them to the UN, which could include them in the Secretary General’s annual report. The committee organized a number of workshops in this regard in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA).

In cooperation with the Kuwaiti Union of Women’s Associations, the Ministry sponsored in February 2024 the regional conference on Arab women, security, and peace - challenges facing women in the Arab world - under the theme of “stop the aggression on Gaza now, not tomorrow.” In keeping with Kuwait’s voluntary undertakings in the framework of its membership at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2024, the Ministry organized an expanded meeting of the national committee on reporting and following up on human rights issues and several civil society organizations in early 2024 to exchange views on human rights.

Empowering women

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Beirut-based UN Human Rights Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA), organized in May 2024 a training workshop for some NGOs to build their capacities regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Kuwait has been paying much attention to empowering Kuwaiti females in all fields in light of combating all types of discrimination against women, Al-Hayen affirmed.

The state’s policy towards enabling women to get positions in all fields was shown in providing opportunities in oil, the state’s main economic pillar, in which they have achieved tangible accomplishments and valuable contributions in this vital sector, Al-Hayen added. Over the years, the sector has witnessed noticeable development in terms of women’s participation and their key role in this domain, he stated.

In December 2020, the CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announced the launch of the Diversity and Inclusion Council of Oil, which raised the ratio of women leading positions to 12 percent and 18 percent on all boards of directors, he revealed. Kuwaiti women’s contributions to this sector are shown in the development and sustainability of this vital industry, as they are an integrated part of the sector’s workforce, the ambassador noted.

Engineering, research

Those females have positions in engineering, research, oil services, oil wells, project management, marketing, in addition to administrative and field tasks, and others, he pointed out. He elaborated that the ratio of female engineers and administrative workers in this field hit 29 percent and 44 percent, respectively, exceeding the global average of women in this domain. In addition, he referred to Kuwaiti women who have varied positions in this sector, proving that they are efficient due to their ability to learn and adapt to modern techniques and methods.

Kuwaiti women, thanks to their skills in analyzing and making decisions, contribute to improving operations and increasing productivity, diversity, and innovation in a way that enhances industry to face challenges and achieve sustainable development, he said. He also pointed out that Kuwait has been interested in enabling women to participate in sports and making efforts to encourage them to take part in this field as well as other fields. — KUNA