Country detail - yourHRC.org

Kuwait

Regional group:

Asia – Pacific Group (APG)

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2023) :

Other HRC positions:	–
OHCHR presence:	– No field presence
NHRI accreditation status:	–

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Unknown

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2011, Kuwait has mostly (in the absence of consensus) voted in favour of item 4 (situations that require the Council's attention), although it abstained on four occasions: three times during votes on texts on the situations in Belarus and once during voting on a text on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2014). During votes on item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Kuwait has consistently voted in favour. On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), Kuwait has joined consensus on all resolutions except for one that was voted on during the period of its membership: on cooperation with Ukraine (Kuwait abstained). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Kuwait has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has usually voted in favour. Notwithstanding, it voted against resolutions on the question of the death penalty, and a 2014 resolution on sexual orientation. It has abstained on resolutions on peaceful protests, arms transfers, and an international legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social, and cultural rights, Kuwait has either joined consensus on or has voted in favour of all adopted texts.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

251

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

167

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

112

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on housing, 2016

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

None overdue

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2010, 2015, 2020)

Mid-term report

Level of delegation

Special Committee

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 27 / 192

2^nd cycle: 73 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2023)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 1

Kuwait tabled voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidacy for membership for the period 2011-2014 on 11 May 2011.

Most of the document provides a restatement of existing commitments. The number of pledges and concrete commitments for future action are minimal. Of those, only 1 was somewhat ‘specific, measurable and verifiable:’ a pledge to deliver aid through bilateral mechanisms and non-partisan agencies.

Kuwait

Asia – Pacific Group (APG)

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 27 / 192

2nd cycle: 73 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 1

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 27 / 192

2^nd cycle: 73 / 192