Kuwait City: UN Secretary-General's Representative and Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, Ghada Al-Taher, announced that Kuwait is undergoing historic legal reforms, highlighting the country's commitment to ensuring women's rights.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Al-Taher spoke on the occasion of abolishing Article 153 of the Penal Code, commending this step as a significant move against all forms of violence against women. She also praised the decision to raise the legal marriage age to 18, which aims to protect young people from negative impacts and ensure their rights to development while helping them make appropriate life decisions.
Al-Taher emphasized that these achievements demonstrate Kuwait's dedication to international human rights standards and gender equality, as outlined in the Kuwaiti Constitution. On the educational front, she noted that Kuwait has made progress in supporting women's and girls' education, with women comprising over 70 percent of university graduates in the country.
In terms of employment, Al-Taher remarked that women make up more than 44.59 percent of Kuwait's workforce in sectors such as education, healthcare, and administration. She highlighted that this year marks 30 years since the Beijing Declaration was adopted, which serves as the global framework for promoting women's empowerment. Kuwait is actively participating in these efforts by ensuring access to education for girls, increasing economic opportunities, and promoting legal frameworks for empowerment.
Although significant achievements have been made since 2015, Al-Taher stressed the need for continued empowerment of women to hold leadership positions. She underscored that gender equality is not only a concern for women but is also crucial for building fairer and more sustainable communities.
Al-Taher concluded by affirming that the UN will continue to support national efforts and assist partners in achieving Kuwait's vision of "New Kuwait 2025," which focuses on investing in human capital as part of the Beijing-30 program.