The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns urged registered families on Tuesday to complete birth registration for newborns at the Ministry of Health’s office, sending those with children over five years old first to the Lineage Claims Committee. Families must add the newborns to agency records within 60 days of obtaining the certificate or face measures, the authority warned.
The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns specified procedures that vary by the child’s age in its public appeal. Newborns are to be taken directly to the Ministry of Health Birth Registration Office to secure an official certificate. Parents of children older than five without existing records must first establish lineage claims before any certificate can be processed. The agency stressed that following this order prevents complications and keeps all records current. Assistance is available through the agency’s offices for families navigating these requirements.
Once a birth certificate has been issued by the Ministry of Health, the Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns requires that the child’s information be incorporated into its central files. This update must occur no later than 60 days after certificate receipt to remain in compliance. The authority indicated that failure to meet the deadline would result in enforcement measures against the family. Officials noted the rule applies uniformly across all registered Bedoun households. The timeline supports the agency’s efforts to maintain accurate demographic data on the community it oversees.
UNHCR data places the number of stateless persons in Kuwait at 92,000, the overwhelming majority of whom are Bedoun. A 2024 United Kingdom government policy assessment estimated the Bidoon population between 83,000 and 120,000 based on available records and community reports. These statistics illustrate the scope of documentation work handled by the Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns on a continuous basis. The agency manages identity cards, status reviews and related services for this group. Such figures have remained relatively stable in recent years according to multilateral tracking.
UNICEF reported in December 2024 that global birth registration rates have climbed to 77 percent yet 150 million children under five remain unregistered. The UN children’s agency described birth registration as the foundation of legal identity and a gateway to services including healthcare and schooling. In settings with significant stateless populations, the absence of certificates can limit opportunities across generations. UNICEF recommended streamlined procedures and community outreach to close registration gaps. The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns appeal reflects similar priorities tailored to Kuwait’s context.
The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns has distributed tens of thousands of review cards to undocumented residents in recent years as part of status-resolution drives. Official figures show more than 32,000 such cards were issued in the first half of 2023 to update community records. These documents provide temporary identification while full legal cases are examined. The latest newborn-registration push seeks to incorporate the youngest generation before backlogs develop. Agency personnel have been tasked with processing applications efficiently to support affected families.
Proper registration enables children from Bedoun families to obtain civil identification and access basic public services over time. The Central Agency for Addressing the Status of Bedouns maintains that timely updates help align individual records with national databases. Families holding existing agency registration are particularly encouraged to act on the new guidance without delay. The process forms one element in the state’s broader management of stateless affairs within Kuwait.
