CAT/C/KWT/CO/2
The Committee:
(a)
Calls upon the State party to enact, as a matter of urgency, legislation to
prevent, combat and criminalize violence against women, including domestic violence;
(b)
Recommends that the State party carry out research and data collection
on the extent of domestic violence, and provide the Committee with statistical data on
complaints, prosecutions and sentences;
(c)
Encourages the State party to organize the participation of its public
officials in rehabilitation and legal assistance programmes and to conduct broad
awareness campaigns for officials such as judges, law officers, law enforcement agents
and welfare workers, who are in direct contact with victims. The population at large
should be made aware of those programmes.
Human trafficking
24.
The Committee is concerned at the lack of specific legislation to prevent, combat
and criminalize human trafficking. The Committee is further concerned at the lack of
information on trafficking in persons, including the existing legislations and statistics,
particularly the number of complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions of
perpetrators of trafficking, and the lack of information on practical measures adopted to
prevent and combat such phenomena, including medical, social and rehabilitative measures
(arts. 2, 4 and 16).
The State party should combat trafficking in human beings by adoption and
implementation of specific anti-trafficking legislation ensuring that trafficking is
defined as a crime in the State party in accordance with international standards.
These offences should be punishable by appropriate penalties. The State party should
provide protection for victims and ensuring their access to medical, social,
rehabilitative, counseling and legal services.
Discrimination and violence against vulnerable groups
25.
The Committee is concerned at reports that vulnerable groups such as lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons are subjected to discrimination and ill-treatment,
including sexual violence, both in public and domestic settings. (arts. 2 and 16)
The State party should investigate crimes related to discrimination directed
towards all vulnerable groups and pursue ways in which hate crimes can be prevented
and punished. The State party should also promptly, thoroughly and impartially
investigate all cases of discrimination and ill-treatment of these vulnerable groups,
and punish those responsible for these acts. The State party should conduct
awareness-raising campaigns for all officials who are in direct contact with victims of
such violence, as well for the population at large.
Situation of “Bidun” persons
26.
The Committee expresses its concern at the situation of at least 100,000 people, who
are not legally recognized by the State, known as the “Bidun” (without nationality) and
allegedly victims of various types of discrimination and ill-treatment (art. 16).
The State party should enact specific legislation in order to protect “Bidun”
people and recognize their legal status. The State party should adopt all adequate
legal and practical measures to simplify and facilitate the regularization and
integration of these persons and their children. It should ensure that these persons
enjoy all human rights without discrimination of any kind. The State party should
also adopt the necessary measures to guarantee that these persons are informed of
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