Submitted by Denitsa on
This report is part of CRIN's access to justice for children project, looking at the status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in national law, the status of children involved in legal proceedings, the legal means to challenge violations of children’s rights and the practical considerations involved in challenging violations.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by Kuwait, as has the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict. International treaties, once published in the Official Gazette, acquire equal status with national law in Kuwait and, as such, the CRC is directly enforceable in the courts. Children are permitted to bring cases before the courts through a parent or guardian. Legal aid provided by the State is not available unfortunately; there are, however, some dedicated lawyers providing legal assistance to children coming into contact with the justice system and their families on a pro bono basis. Kuwait has a comprehensive set of protective measures for children charged with felonies or misdemeanours in the form of the Juveniles Law of 1983; as this legislation is somewhat date, however, Kuwait has stated that children’s rights laws are to be updated during its second reporting cycle to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
