Several interviewees acknowledged that some civil docu- political problem. Thus, instead of resolving the issue of mentation was now available, including birth, marriage, for bidoon, they seek to define the problem out and death certificates. Access to basic healthcare was report- of existence. Changing the official term frombidoon to edly covered by charity. But bidoon children (except for the “illegal residents,” or assigning a false , will FIELD REPORT small minority with Kuwaiti mothers) remain relegated to result in fewer bidoon on paper. But it will not reduce the private schools with overcrowded classrooms. And despite number of stateless people in who suffer a lack of A POWERFUL VOICE FOR LIFESAVING ACTION October 17, 2011 the promised provision of fees, families must still pay a part civil rights and nationality. of their tuition expenses. Contacts: While bidoon are now supposed to be offered the right to Marc Hanson & Melanie Teff Currently, when bidoon are denied access to a facility they put “non-Kuwaiti” on their civil documents, RI was told on KUWAIT: are eligible to receive, there is no recourse. The Kuwaiti numerous occasions that bidoon were pressured by govern- National Assembly should codify the facilities and provide ment officials to accept a randomly-allocated nationality in GENDER DISCRIMINATION CREATES oversight to ensure that any registered bidoon with their exchange for receiving a child’s birth certificate, a driver’s file before the Committee receives full bene- license, or other official documents. RI was informed of AND ENDANGERS FAMILIES fits. Irrespective of whether or not the National Assembly several incidents where multiple were Gender discrimination in Kuwait’s nationality laws increases the incidence of stateless- passes legislation codifying the eleven facilities this assigned to a single set of siblings, or where bidoon in the session, the relevant Standing Committees in parliament military had to accept a false nationality in exchange for a ness by rendering children of Kuwaiti women and bidoon men stateless. Statelessness should conduct oversight hearings to ensure responsible one-time retirement benefit. While it is impossible to ascer- exposes women to heightened risks of abuse and exploitation. It also endangers family ministries are providing bidoon with access to the facilities tain with any certainty how many people are coerced into life. Some women are forced to divorce to try to pass nationality to their children, some without discrimination. accepting an assigned nationality (as opposed to those with real claims to an alternative nationality), for the bidoon their are forced into marriages to try to acquire nationality, and others never marry in order to inability to exercise their human rights is the same. avoid statelessness for future generations. “SECURITY BLOCK” In order to access civil documents, bidoon must request The creation of the “Bidoon Committee” to process citizenship claims and reduce the clearance from the Bidoon Committee. Frequently, bidoon THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER incidence of statelessness and the provision of the eleven “facilities” (social benefits for FOR REFUGEES are denied their applications because their names appear registered stateless persons) are welcome steps. However, to date, no citizenship cases on the “security block” list. The government maintains that As the UN agency with the mandate to prevent and reduce the “security block” is reserved for bidoon who collaborated statelessness, as well as to provide protection to vulnerable have been adjudicated and the eleven facilities have been poorly implemented. with Iraq during the 1990-91 invasion and occupation. But populations, UNHCR has an obligation to gather informa- ADVANCES ON PAPER FOR BIDOON, BUT LITTLE RI was told on numerous occasions that bidoon may face a tion on the scope of statelessness and document its causes PROGRESS IN PRACTICE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS “security block” for any reason – from civic activism to and consequences. Consistent with this mandate, UNHCR minor crimes, or even because of a personal conflict with a should intervene to help bidoon access the eleven facilities, In language, culture, and social customs, the bidoon are ˆˆThe U.S. Government and the European Union should powerful individual. Bidoon live in constant fear of being and should seek to advise the appropriate ministries, essentially indistinguishable from Kuwaiti citizens. The press the : added to the “security block” list. One bidoon who still holds National Assembly, and Bidoon Committee on how to Arabic word, “bidoon,” meaning “without” (short for • to amend its to ensure no child is a government job told RI he encouraged his son not to implement status-determination procedures transparently “bidoon jinsiya” – “without citizenship”), is used to denote born stateless in Kuwait by permitting women and participate in political organizing because it could lead to a and expeditiously. longtime residents of Kuwait who are stateless. There are men to transmit nationality on an equal basis. “security block” for the entire family, which would jeopar- over 100,000 bidoon in Kuwait. For 25 years after Kuwait • to allow individuals listed on the “security block” dize the family’s employment. . Once blacklisted, individu- UNHCR currently plays a very limited role with regard to gained independence in 1961, the bidoon had the same who have been denied naturalization or official als on the “security block” cannot review the reasons for statelessness in Kuwait. Bidoon told RI that UNHCR should privileges as Kuwaiti citizens, including free healthcare, documentation to be informed of the reasons for their listing or challenge them before a judicial body. visit their communities so they can witness their lives and free education from elementary through university studies, struggles. UNHCR must begin work immediately to better and equal access to government scholarships funding the block, and to allow these individuals to contest The Ministry of Interior should inform individuals of the understand the protection concerns of bidoon and build study-abroad programs. their listing before a judicial body. reasons for their “security block” and allow them to trust with the bidoon community so it can properly support ˆˆUNHCR should conduct outreach to the stateless popu- challenge their listings in court. This will help ensure that this stateless population. However, this began to change in 1985 when the govern- lation, register complaints from stateless people about bidoon are not denied access to the eleven facilities arbitrari- ment systematically firedbidoon from public-sector their treatment, fund a study on the specific protection Marc Hanson and Melanie Teff assessed the needs of stateless ly while they await a final determination of their citizenship employment (except the military and police) and instructed needs of bidoon women, and take up individual cases of people in Kuwait in September 2011. status. private enterprise to follow suit. It also restricted travel stateless people in need of protection. documents for bidoon, refused bidoon driver’s licenses, ex- pelled bidoon students from public schools and universities, ˆˆThe Kuwaiti National Assembly should codify and vigi- FORCED ALLOCATION OF NATIONALITY instructed Kuwaiti social clubs and civic associations to lantly oversee the implementation of the eleven “facili- ties” that have been granted to the bidoon by decree, A prominent Kuwaiti political scientist advised RI that the expel bidoon members, and transferred bidoon from the including access to civil documentation, education, and Bidoon Committee is seeking a bureaucratic exit from a census category “Kuwaiti” to an alien population category in the Annual Statistical Abstract. health.

phone: [202] 828–0110 n facsimile: [202] 828–0819 n e-mail: [email protected] n www.refugeesinternational.org n 2001 S Street, NW n Suite 700 n Washington, DC 20009 www.refugeesinternational.org In the aftermath of the 1990-1991 Iraqi invasion and occu- Kuwaiti citizenship, since citizenship determinations in legal rights inevitably puts some bidoon women at risk of which is particularly dangerous in a conservative society pation of Kuwait, bidoon military and police personnel were these cases remain discretionary. exploitation and abuse. RI heard accounts of Kuwaiti men like Kuwait, where women are ostracized – or worse – for fired en masse – even those who had fought in the Kuwaiti who refused to pass citizenship to their bidoon wives in shaming their families. resistance. Only a small fraction of them were later rehired. Amending Kuwaiti nationality law so that both women and order to prevent them from filing domestic abuse In 1993, bidoon were made to pay for healthcare and were men may confer nationality on an equal basis is necessary complaints. Conversely, RI met a number of bidoon women denied birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. to ensure that no child is born stateless in Kuwait. who elected to never marry: they refused to make them- BIDOON CHILDREN LEFT WITHOUT A FUTURE Many were forced into the informal economy. Now, bidoon Children of Kuwaiti mothers and bidoon fathers enjoy the selves more vulnerable to exploitation and did not want to The primary safeguard of a child’s rights is a birth certifi- must routinely pay bribes, drive without official licenses, right to attend public schools until the age of eighteen. have children through marriage to a bidoon man since the cate, but for many years Kuwaiti authorities stopped provid- live illegally in homes owned by Kuwaiti friends, or accept a Upon turning eighteen, they lose the privileges of Kuwaiti children would also be stateless. ing birth certificates to children ofbidoon fathers. The false nationality in exchange for official documents. adverse impacts of this policy persist for bidoon children citizenship they have grown up with and are considered There are no statistics available on domestic violence bidoon. Suddenly treated as “illegal residents”, they lose who have no documentation of their identity. Even today, Acknowledging the situation was unsustainable, in 1993 against bidoon women, but RI was told that this is a bidoon children over the age of six can only obtain birth the Central Committee to Resolve the Status of Illegal Resi- their right to higher education and are potentially subject to common phenomenon. As one bidoon woman told RI, “Our deportation if they fail to acquire a work permit and certificates if DNA tests prove the child’s relationship with dents was established. Three years later, a royal decree husbands can’t find work because they arebidoon ; they feel their parents. established the Committee for Illegal Residents’ Affairs. employment. Last year, it appeared that an advance for useless. Kuwaiti women don’t get abused at home like And in November 2010, a subsequent royal decree replaced women’s rights was won when Kuwaiti women were bidoon women do because their families don’t face the same Bidoon children receive inferior education that does not this committee with the Central System to Resolve Illegal granted the right to sponsor their children for residency. stresses.” RI was told that very few bidoon women report equip them for a successful future in Kuwaiti society. They Residents’ Status (hereafter, the Bidoon Committee). Led by However, RI was informed by many women that the right to domestic violence, since they fear their husbands could end are very rarely permitted to attend public schools (unless Salah Fadalah, a former member of parliament, the Kuwaiti sponsor residency has often not been applied in practice. up with a “security block” that could affect the entire they have a Kuwaiti mother). A government-run education government tasked the Bidoon Committee with determin- In many other respects, Kuwait is a regional leader in family’s access to documentation, as well as bring shame fund helps to pay private school fees for some bidoon fami- ing the citizenship applications of stateless people within personal status laws for women. Important advances in on the family. lies, but many families told RI that the assistance does not five years. To date, no cases have been resolved. women’s rights were made in 2005 when women were cover all costs, and that private schools have raised their Bidoon women and Kuwaiti women married to bidoon men fees knowing that the government provides subsidies. This In April 2011, Mr. Fadalah announced that, pursuant to gov- granted the right to vote. There are currently four women told RI they had suffered sexual harassment at the hands of serving in the Kuwaiti National Assembly. And importantly, is particularly harmful for girls, as bidoon families with ernment decree, registered bidoon would be granted eleven government officials when applying for documents for limited means prioritize sending their boys to school. new “civil, social and humanitarian facilities” to address the the Kuwaiti Constitution prohibits discrimination on themselves and their families. Since the issuance of docu- humanitarian consequences of statelessness while the grounds of sex, likely rendering its nationality law unconsti- ments to bidoon is discretionary, officials are placed in a To qualify for educational assistance, the child’s family Bidoon Committee evaluated the more than 100,000 tutional and making this policy ripe for reform. powerful position that some abuse. The women to whom must have a valid identity card issued by the Bidoon appeals for citizenship. The new facilities include, among RI spoke had no idea where they could go to register Committee and the child must have passed his or her rele- others, access to free education and healthcare; the issu- BIDOON WOMEN SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES complaints against officials who abused their authority, and vant exams. If the identity card is expired or the child fails ance of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates and OF STATELESSNESS most feared that a complaint could result in a blemish both the exams, s/he is forced out of school. As a result, many driver’s licenses; and access to public sector employment – on their citizenship file and the files of their family bidoon children end up working illegally as street vendors, the very things that were systematically taken away over the RI heard a number of accounts of specific problems members. often in conditions of excessive heat and without protection past quarter century. However, Refugees International (RI) confronted by stateless women in Kuwait. One pertains to from police, who may abuse them with total impunity. was informed by bidoon that most of these “facilities” have the issue of identity documentation, which is central to the For bidoon women in Kuwait, the inability to obtain been only partially implemented. exercise of any civil right in Kuwait. Many older bidoon marriage certificates can have severe consequences, includ- women lack any documentation. Fifty years ago in the ing limiting their access to proper medical assistance when CODIFY THE RIGHTS BY DECREE: Kuwaiti desert, families did not uniformly appreciate the giving birth. Without a marriage certificate the birth of a THE PROMISED ELEVEN FACILITIES DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN CREATES importance of obtaining birth certificates for their children. baby in Kuwait is considered illegal, and therefore the The eleven so-called “facilities” that address the humanitar- STATELESSNESS There was greater recognition that boys would need such mother cannot give birth in a public hospital. ian consequences of statelessness should be made law by Under Kuwaiti law, nationality is passed through the father documents to enter the army or the police, but for girls they the National Assembly. However, there is no consensus were more frequently perceived as superfluous. Decades Bidoon women have few prospects for employment. Largely to the children but cannot be passed through the mother restricted to low-paying jobs with no security, those who do regarding how much progress the government has made unless she is divorced or widowed. As a result, the child later, these undocumented births adversely impact thus far in implementing them. Mr. Fadalah, of the Bidoon women’s lives. RI met a number of older bidoon women find employment typically work in nurseries, daycare, or as born to a Kuwaiti woman and her stateless bidoon spouse is secretaries, and earn a fraction of what Kuwaiti women in Committee, told RI that all the facilities but one – public considered stateless. RI raised this issue with Mr. Fadalah, who lacked documentation even though their husbands sector employment– have been implemented. However, a and children were documented. the same positions earn. A small number of bidoon women who stated that this was not a problem because women become teachers, but only in low-paying private schools, political analyst with knowledge of the situation told RI, married to stateless men can divorce their husbands. Limited opportunities are available to the bidoon commu- earning roughly 150 KD (US $450) per month. Kuwaiti “Most of the promises are just talk. There may be improve- Leaving aside the fact that many Kuwaiti women in this nity in general, but bidoon women confront even greater teachers in public schools earn around 850 KD (US $2,550). ments, but not major improvement.” situation do not wish to divorce their husbands and break constraints. RI was told that the only perceived hope for Unemployed bidoon women often feel pressure to provide Interviews with more than two dozen bidoon and Kuwaiti up their families, RI was told of many women who have many bidoon women is to marry a Kuwaiti man to pass for their poverty-stricken families and are at a heightened divorced their husbands in these circumstances and waited women married to bidoon provided little clarity with respect citizenship to their children and to potentially attain citizen- risk of exploitation. RI was informed of situations where to progress on the implementation of the eleven facilities. unsuccessfully for decades for their children to be granted ship themselves. However, dependence on Kuwaiti men’s bidoon women and girls were forced into prostitution,

www.refugeesinternational.org www.refugeesinternational.org In the aftermath of the 1990-1991 Iraqi invasion and occu- Kuwaiti citizenship, since citizenship determinations in legal rights inevitably puts some bidoon women at risk of which is particularly dangerous in a conservative society pation of Kuwait, bidoon military and police personnel were these cases remain discretionary. exploitation and abuse. RI heard accounts of Kuwaiti men like Kuwait, where women are ostracized – or worse – for fired en masse – even those who had fought in the Kuwaiti who refused to pass citizenship to their bidoon wives in shaming their families. resistance. Only a small fraction of them were later rehired. Amending Kuwaiti nationality law so that both women and order to prevent them from filing domestic abuse In 1993, bidoon were made to pay for healthcare and were men may confer nationality on an equal basis is necessary complaints. Conversely, RI met a number of bidoon women denied birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. to ensure that no child is born stateless in Kuwait. who elected to never marry: they refused to make them- BIDOON CHILDREN LEFT WITHOUT A FUTURE Many were forced into the informal economy. Now, bidoon Children of Kuwaiti mothers and bidoon fathers enjoy the selves more vulnerable to exploitation and did not want to The primary safeguard of a child’s rights is a birth certifi- must routinely pay bribes, drive without official licenses, right to attend public schools until the age of eighteen. have children through marriage to a bidoon man since the cate, but for many years Kuwaiti authorities stopped provid- live illegally in homes owned by Kuwaiti friends, or accept a Upon turning eighteen, they lose the privileges of Kuwaiti children would also be stateless. ing birth certificates to children ofbidoon fathers. The false nationality in exchange for official documents. adverse impacts of this policy persist for bidoon children citizenship they have grown up with and are considered There are no statistics available on domestic violence bidoon. Suddenly treated as “illegal residents”, they lose who have no documentation of their identity. Even today, Acknowledging the situation was unsustainable, in 1993 against bidoon women, but RI was told that this is a bidoon children over the age of six can only obtain birth the Central Committee to Resolve the Status of Illegal Resi- their right to higher education and are potentially subject to common phenomenon. As one bidoon woman told RI, “Our deportation if they fail to acquire a work permit and certificates if DNA tests prove the child’s relationship with dents was established. Three years later, a royal decree husbands can’t find work because they arebidoon ; they feel their parents. established the Committee for Illegal Residents’ Affairs. employment. Last year, it appeared that an advance for useless. Kuwaiti women don’t get abused at home like And in November 2010, a subsequent royal decree replaced women’s rights was won when Kuwaiti women were bidoon women do because their families don’t face the same Bidoon children receive inferior education that does not this committee with the Central System to Resolve Illegal granted the right to sponsor their children for residency. stresses.” RI was told that very few bidoon women report equip them for a successful future in Kuwaiti society. They Residents’ Status (hereafter, the Bidoon Committee). Led by However, RI was informed by many women that the right to domestic violence, since they fear their husbands could end are very rarely permitted to attend public schools (unless Salah Fadalah, a former member of parliament, the Kuwaiti sponsor residency has often not been applied in practice. up with a “security block” that could affect the entire they have a Kuwaiti mother). A government-run education government tasked the Bidoon Committee with determin- In many other respects, Kuwait is a regional leader in family’s access to documentation, as well as bring shame fund helps to pay private school fees for some bidoon fami- ing the citizenship applications of stateless people within personal status laws for women. Important advances in on the family. lies, but many families told RI that the assistance does not five years. To date, no cases have been resolved. women’s rights were made in 2005 when women were cover all costs, and that private schools have raised their Bidoon women and Kuwaiti women married to bidoon men fees knowing that the government provides subsidies. This In April 2011, Mr. Fadalah announced that, pursuant to gov- granted the right to vote. There are currently four women told RI they had suffered sexual harassment at the hands of serving in the Kuwaiti National Assembly. And importantly, is particularly harmful for girls, as bidoon families with ernment decree, registered bidoon would be granted eleven government officials when applying for documents for limited means prioritize sending their boys to school. new “civil, social and humanitarian facilities” to address the the Kuwaiti Constitution prohibits discrimination on themselves and their families. Since the issuance of docu- humanitarian consequences of statelessness while the grounds of sex, likely rendering its nationality law unconsti- ments to bidoon is discretionary, officials are placed in a To qualify for educational assistance, the child’s family Bidoon Committee evaluated the more than 100,000 tutional and making this policy ripe for reform. powerful position that some abuse. The women to whom must have a valid identity card issued by the Bidoon appeals for citizenship. The new facilities include, among RI spoke had no idea where they could go to register Committee and the child must have passed his or her rele- others, access to free education and healthcare; the issu- BIDOON WOMEN SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES complaints against officials who abused their authority, and vant exams. If the identity card is expired or the child fails ance of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates and OF STATELESSNESS most feared that a complaint could result in a blemish both the exams, s/he is forced out of school. As a result, many driver’s licenses; and access to public sector employment – on their citizenship file and the files of their family bidoon children end up working illegally as street vendors, the very things that were systematically taken away over the RI heard a number of accounts of specific problems members. often in conditions of excessive heat and without protection past quarter century. However, Refugees International (RI) confronted by stateless women in Kuwait. One pertains to from police, who may abuse them with total impunity. was informed by bidoon that most of these “facilities” have the issue of identity documentation, which is central to the For bidoon women in Kuwait, the inability to obtain been only partially implemented. exercise of any civil right in Kuwait. Many older bidoon marriage certificates can have severe consequences, includ- women lack any documentation. Fifty years ago in the ing limiting their access to proper medical assistance when CODIFY THE RIGHTS BY DECREE: Kuwaiti desert, families did not uniformly appreciate the giving birth. Without a marriage certificate the birth of a THE PROMISED ELEVEN FACILITIES DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN CREATES importance of obtaining birth certificates for their children. baby in Kuwait is considered illegal, and therefore the The eleven so-called “facilities” that address the humanitar- STATELESSNESS There was greater recognition that boys would need such mother cannot give birth in a public hospital. ian consequences of statelessness should be made law by Under Kuwaiti law, nationality is passed through the father documents to enter the army or the police, but for girls they the National Assembly. However, there is no consensus were more frequently perceived as superfluous. Decades Bidoon women have few prospects for employment. Largely to the children but cannot be passed through the mother restricted to low-paying jobs with no security, those who do regarding how much progress the government has made unless she is divorced or widowed. As a result, the child later, these undocumented births adversely impact thus far in implementing them. Mr. Fadalah, of the Bidoon women’s lives. RI met a number of older bidoon women find employment typically work in nurseries, daycare, or as born to a Kuwaiti woman and her stateless bidoon spouse is secretaries, and earn a fraction of what Kuwaiti women in Committee, told RI that all the facilities but one – public considered stateless. RI raised this issue with Mr. Fadalah, who lacked documentation even though their husbands sector employment– have been implemented. However, a and children were documented. the same positions earn. A small number of bidoon women who stated that this was not a problem because women become teachers, but only in low-paying private schools, political analyst with knowledge of the situation told RI, married to stateless men can divorce their husbands. Limited opportunities are available to the bidoon commu- earning roughly 150 KD (US $450) per month. Kuwaiti “Most of the promises are just talk. There may be improve- Leaving aside the fact that many Kuwaiti women in this nity in general, but bidoon women confront even greater teachers in public schools earn around 850 KD (US $2,550). ments, but not major improvement.” situation do not wish to divorce their husbands and break constraints. RI was told that the only perceived hope for Unemployed bidoon women often feel pressure to provide Interviews with more than two dozen bidoon and Kuwaiti up their families, RI was told of many women who have many bidoon women is to marry a Kuwaiti man to pass for their poverty-stricken families and are at a heightened divorced their husbands in these circumstances and waited women married to bidoon provided little clarity with respect citizenship to their children and to potentially attain citizen- risk of exploitation. RI was informed of situations where to progress on the implementation of the eleven facilities. unsuccessfully for decades for their children to be granted ship themselves. However, dependence on Kuwaiti men’s bidoon women and girls were forced into prostitution,

www.refugeesinternational.org www.refugeesinternational.org Several interviewees acknowledged that some civil docu- political problem. Thus, instead of resolving the issue of mentation was now available, including birth, marriage, citizenship for bidoon, they seek to define the problem out and death certificates. Access to basic healthcare was report- of existence. Changing the official term frombidoon to edly covered by charity. But bidoon children (except for the “illegal residents,” or assigning a false nationality, will FIELD REPORT small minority with Kuwaiti mothers) remain relegated to result in fewer bidoon on paper. But it will not reduce the private schools with overcrowded classrooms. And despite number of stateless people in Kuwait who suffer a lack of A POWERFUL VOICE FOR LIFESAVING ACTION October 17, 2011 the promised provision of fees, families must still pay a part civil rights and nationality. of their tuition expenses. Contacts: While bidoon are now supposed to be offered the right to Marc Hanson & Melanie Teff Currently, when bidoon are denied access to a facility they put “non-Kuwaiti” on their civil documents, RI was told on KUWAIT: are eligible to receive, there is no recourse. The Kuwaiti numerous occasions that bidoon were pressured by govern- National Assembly should codify the facilities and provide ment officials to accept a randomly-allocated nationality in GENDER DISCRIMINATION CREATES oversight to ensure that any registered bidoon with their exchange for receiving a child’s birth certificate, a driver’s naturalization file before the Committee receives full bene- license, or other official documents. RI was informed of STATELESSNESS AND ENDANGERS FAMILIES fits. Irrespective of whether or not the National Assembly several incidents where multiple nationalities were Gender discrimination in Kuwait’s nationality laws increases the incidence of stateless- passes legislation codifying the eleven facilities this assigned to a single set of siblings, or where bidoon in the session, the relevant Standing Committees in parliament military had to accept a false nationality in exchange for a ness by rendering children of Kuwaiti women and bidoon men stateless. Statelessness should conduct oversight hearings to ensure responsible one-time retirement benefit. While it is impossible to ascer- exposes women to heightened risks of abuse and exploitation. It also endangers family ministries are providing bidoon with access to the facilities tain with any certainty how many people are coerced into life. Some women are forced to divorce to try to pass nationality to their children, some without discrimination. accepting an assigned nationality (as opposed to those with real claims to an alternative nationality), for the bidoon their are forced into marriages to try to acquire nationality, and others never marry in order to inability to exercise their human rights is the same. avoid statelessness for future generations. “SECURITY BLOCK” In order to access civil documents, bidoon must request The creation of the “Bidoon Committee” to process citizenship claims and reduce the clearance from the Bidoon Committee. Frequently, bidoon THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER incidence of statelessness and the provision of the eleven “facilities” (social benefits for FOR REFUGEES are denied their applications because their names appear registered stateless persons) are welcome steps. However, to date, no citizenship cases on the “security block” list. The government maintains that As the UN agency with the mandate to prevent and reduce the “security block” is reserved for bidoon who collaborated statelessness, as well as to provide protection to vulnerable have been adjudicated and the eleven facilities have been poorly implemented. with Iraq during the 1990-91 invasion and occupation. But populations, UNHCR has an obligation to gather informa- ADVANCES ON PAPER FOR BIDOON, BUT LITTLE RI was told on numerous occasions that bidoon may face a tion on the scope of statelessness and document its causes PROGRESS IN PRACTICE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS “security block” for any reason – from civic activism to and consequences. Consistent with this mandate, UNHCR minor crimes, or even because of a personal conflict with a should intervene to help bidoon access the eleven facilities, In language, culture, and social customs, the bidoon are ˆˆThe U.S. Government and the European Union should powerful individual. Bidoon live in constant fear of being and should seek to advise the appropriate ministries, essentially indistinguishable from Kuwaiti citizens. The press the Government of Kuwait: added to the “security block” list. One bidoon who still holds National Assembly, and Bidoon Committee on how to Arabic word, “bidoon,” meaning “without” (short for • to amend its nationality law to ensure no child is a government job told RI he encouraged his son not to implement status-determination procedures transparently “bidoon jinsiya” – “without citizenship”), is used to denote born stateless in Kuwait by permitting women and participate in political organizing because it could lead to a and expeditiously. longtime residents of Kuwait who are stateless. There are men to transmit nationality on an equal basis. “security block” for the entire family, which would jeopar- over 100,000 bidoon in Kuwait. For 25 years after Kuwait • to allow individuals listed on the “security block” dize the family’s employment. . Once blacklisted, individu- UNHCR currently plays a very limited role with regard to gained independence in 1961, the bidoon had the same who have been denied naturalization or official als on the “security block” cannot review the reasons for statelessness in Kuwait. Bidoon told RI that UNHCR should privileges as Kuwaiti citizens, including free healthcare, documentation to be informed of the reasons for their listing or challenge them before a judicial body. visit their communities so they can witness their lives and free education from elementary through university studies, struggles. UNHCR must begin work immediately to better and equal access to government scholarships funding the block, and to allow these individuals to contest The Ministry of Interior should inform individuals of the understand the protection concerns of bidoon and build study-abroad programs. their listing before a judicial body. reasons for their “security block” and allow them to trust with the bidoon community so it can properly support ˆˆUNHCR should conduct outreach to the stateless popu- challenge their listings in court. This will help ensure that this stateless population. However, this began to change in 1985 when the govern- lation, register complaints from stateless people about bidoon are not denied access to the eleven facilities arbitrari- ment systematically firedbidoon from public-sector their treatment, fund a study on the specific protection Marc Hanson and Melanie Teff assessed the needs of stateless ly while they await a final determination of their citizenship employment (except the military and police) and instructed needs of bidoon women, and take up individual cases of people in Kuwait in September 2011. status. private enterprise to follow suit. It also restricted travel stateless people in need of protection. documents for bidoon, refused bidoon driver’s licenses, ex- pelled bidoon students from public schools and universities, ˆˆThe Kuwaiti National Assembly should codify and vigi- FORCED ALLOCATION OF NATIONALITY instructed Kuwaiti social clubs and civic associations to lantly oversee the implementation of the eleven “facili- ties” that have been granted to the bidoon by decree, A prominent Kuwaiti political scientist advised RI that the expel bidoon members, and transferred bidoon from the including access to civil documentation, education, and Bidoon Committee is seeking a bureaucratic exit from a census category “Kuwaiti” to an alien population category in the Annual Statistical Abstract. health.

phone: [202] 828–0110 n facsimile: [202] 828–0819 n e-mail: [email protected] n www.refugeesinternational.org n 2001 S Street, NW n Suite 700 n Washington, DC 20009 www.refugeesinternational.org