Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Naser Al-Hayen, has reiterated the country’s commitment to supporting international cooperation for a fair and sustainable future in the global labor market. During his address at the 113th session of the International Labor Conference, he emphasized Kuwait’s backing of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and highlighted the interconnected challenges facing the global labor market, including biological risks, digitalization, and the growing platform economy.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Ambassador Al-Hayen stressed the need for a collective response to these challenges through flexible and updated legislative frameworks. These frameworks should ensure social protection and promote justice within the labor market. He noted Kuwait’s legislative and regulatory measures, which align with the country’s development plan, New Kuwait 2035, aimed at effective international community engageme
nt.
Ambassador Al-Hayen highlighted Kuwait’s efforts to promote fairness in the labor market and ensure worker protection. The initiatives include achieving the Eighth Sustainable Development Goal, pertinent to decent work and economic growth. He cited specific laws such as the Private Sector Labor Law No. 6 of 2010, the Domestic Workers Law No. 68 of 2015, and Law No. 114 of 2024 regarding foreigners’ residence in Kuwait.
The ambassador also pointed to the formation of a committee to review and propose amendments to Kuwaiti labor laws. These amendments aim to enhance a decent work environment by prohibiting document withholding and criminalizing forced labor, harassment, and discrimination, while ensuring equal opportunities.
Ambassador Al-Hayen acknowledged Kuwait’s national efforts to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The country has established a national committee for this purpose and will host the Sixth Regional Government Forum to Combat Trafficking in Persons in April 2025. Additional
ly, Kuwait has launched specialized centers since 2015 to shelter female migrant workers and plans to open a shelter for male migrant workers in February 2025.