Arab Women Organization

**Sheikha Fadia Al-Sabah - Kuwait's Strong Commitment to Enhancing the Rights of People with Disabilities and Providing Them with a Dignified Life**

The Chairwoman of the Kuwaiti Union of Women's Associations, Sheikha Fadyah Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, affirmed Kuwait's strong commitment to enhancing the rights of people with disabilities and ensuring their access to a dignified life, in line with the country's 2035 development vision and the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the government work program for 2024-2027. This came in Sheikha Fadia's speech during the virtual workshop held by the Arab Women Organization to present and discuss the findings of the regional analytical study about women and girls with disabilities in the Arab region.

She highlighted that Kuwait is one of the first countries to implement numerous laws and legislations to enhance the well-being of people with disabilities and protect their rights. Sheikha Fadia mentioned that Kuwait was among the first countries to enact several laws to protect the rights and enhance the well-being of people with disabilities, both men and women. These include Law No. 51 of 2006, which prohibits discrimination on various grounds, including disability, and in 2010, Kuwait issued Law No. 8 regarding the rights of people with disabilities. In 2015, Law No. 29 was passed, focusing on integrating people with disabilities into the workforce by ensuring their employment rights and prohibiting discrimination based on disability in the workplace, as well as specifying measures to provide vocational training and job opportunities for people with disabilities. In 2016, Law No. 19 was issued, ensuring the rights of people with disabilities to access public facilities and services, mandating the provision of accessible facilities and services for individuals with disabilities. In 2018, Law No. 8 was passed, establishing the Public Authority for Disabled Affairs, responsible for coordinating efforts related to disability issues, implementing disability policies, providing support services, and enhancing the rights and welfare of people with disabilities in Kuwait.

Sheikha Fadia affirmed Kuwait's strong commitment to enhancing the rights of people with disabilities and ensuring a dignified life for them, in line with its 2035 development vision, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and the government's work program for 2024-2027. She added that Kuwait, both through its government and civil society institutions, is keen on strengthening national and international efforts to build national capacities in preparing international reports that contribute to documenting achievements and identifying challenges with great precision.

**Middle East and North Africa**

Sheikha Fadyah stated that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is home to millions of people with disabilities who still face significant challenges in obtaining their rights and achieving full inclusion in society, particularly women with disabilities. She emphasized that people with disabilities are more vulnerable to physical, psychological, and social violence, with a risk twice as high due to their relatively low social and economic status or their significant financial or physical dependence on their partners or caregivers. She also noted that one in every seven women with disabilities faces discrimination.

Sheikha Fadia added that women with disabilities form the most vulnerable group within these populations, and their situation worsens due to negative social perceptions, such as dehumanization, the loss of will, stigmatization, and medicalization. This increasing vulnerability is often attributed to factors such as dependence on others for support, social isolation, and negative societal attitudes. She pointed out that women and people with disabilities are more likely to suffer from disrespect both at home and at work, which harms their dignity and causes deep feelings of humiliation.

She clarified that in many cases, women with disabilities remain excluded from decision-making processes and leadership positions in both the public and private sectors, limiting their participation and influence in shaping policies and programs that affect their lives, exacerbating their marginalized status. She also referred to the impact of wars, crises, and armed conflicts in the Arab region, highlighting the challenges faced by women with disabilities in these areas due to the lack of basic necessities, such as medicines, food, and other essentials, as seen in Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and other countries experiencing escalating military operations.

She continued, “We should also not forget the repercussions of wars, crises, and armed conflicts in the Arab region, and what women with disabilities face in these areas due to the lack of their needs, as well as the absence of medicines, food, and other life necessities, as we see now in Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and other countries witnessing military operations. These conflicts may increase the number of people with disabilities due to random bombings and genocidal acts targeting civilians.” She stressed that because women with disabilities in the Middle East and North Africa are the most vulnerable to physical, psychological, and social violence, and face various forms of discrimination and marginalization due to their gender and disability status, it is essential to highlight this important group of society. This will enhance understanding of disability issues and garner support to achieve the dignity, rights, and well-being of women with disabilities, aiming to increase awareness of their inclusion in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life, and demonstrating how this inclusion benefits social justice, balance, and prosperity in communities.

**Women's Union**

Sheikha Fadyah added, "At the Kuwaiti Union of Women's Associations, we dedicate our efforts to supporting and empowering Kuwaiti women in general. However, this year we are focusing on supporting women with disabilities specifically, especially since the number of women with disabilities who suffer abuse is much higher than the number of men with disabilities who experience the same."

She said that in order to assess the current situation of the rights of people with disabilities in the MENA region, including the barriers to implementing and enforcing international and national legal frameworks, the Kuwaiti Women's Associations Federation organized a closed regional consultative meeting with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the situation of women with disabilities in the MENA region from December 3-4, coinciding with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She noted that the session resulted in several important recommendations, including those concerning the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities and mechanisms to support the rights of women and girls with disabilities, as well as specific recommendations addressing the suffering of women and girls with disabilities in armed conflicts and recommendations related to sexual and reproductive health for women and girls with disabilities.

She explained that during the consultative session, it was agreed that each participant would submit the recommendations to their country's government. Additionally, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will cooperate with the Federation to form a committee to monitor the implementation of these recommendations in the participating countries and ensure continuous efforts to apply them.

Sheikha Fadyah Al-Sabah reviewed Kuwait’s experience, noting that people with disabilities enjoy many rights, including the right to healthcare, education, employment, housing, and financial support, and these rights are governed by several laws, including Law No. 49/1996 on the care of people with disabilities and Law No. 8/2010 on the rights of persons with disabilities. She also referred to a field study conducted by Dr. Heila Al-Mekim, Head of the Political Science Department at Kuwait University and Vice President of the Kuwaiti Women's Associations Federation, with several civil society organizations regarding “The Role of the Kuwaiti Legislator in Empowering Women with Disabilities – A Case Study of Kuwait,” which was published in an international journal. The study examined the impact of national legislation in Kuwait on empowering women with disabilities.

Sheikha Fadyah explained that the study concluded that women in Kuwait derive their rights from the constitution, which does not discriminate between genders and grants the Kuwaiti woman equal rights. Additionally, international agreements to which Kuwait has ratified and joined ensure that Kuwaiti women receive all their rights, with some reservations on specific clauses that contradict Islamic law. However, despite all these efforts, the study found that women with disabilities in Kuwait face some differences in their life experiences due to various societal factors, including cultural norms, gender roles, and access to resources.

She concluded that the study found the needs of women with disabilities require a comprehensive approach that considers the intersectionality between gender, disability, and other social factors to promote equality, inclusion, and empowerment for all individuals. The study also concluded that women and men with disabilities share many living difficulties, especially in areas like the enforcement of laws and regulations, mobility and access to public places, education, employment, health, social support services, and community awareness. However, the challenges faced by women with disabilities are greater than those faced by men with disabilities, as gender intersects with other social identities to form unique experiences and barriers for individuals with disabilities.

The study also concluded that the priority rights in government transactions are not always applied, and public infrastructure and spaces in Kuwait may not be properly equipped to accommodate people with disabilities, which could limit their mobility and independence.