The second joint coordination meeting between Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Human Rights Affairs Department and the Public Authority for Manpower took place on July 6, 2026, focusing on advancements in workers’ rights and mechanisms to reinforce institutional collaboration, according to a Kuwait News Agency report. Discussions centered on creating policies and laws for the labor market that equitably address the needs of both workers and employers, consistent with the country’s ratification of International Labour Organization conventions and its international human rights commitments. The session also served to evaluate ongoing initiatives and plan further steps toward full compliance with global labor norms.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Human Rights Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah, who attended the meeting, underscored the value of persistent coordination between agencies to discharge human rights duties in the labor field. Sheikha Jawaher stressed that such collaboration remains vital for fulfilling obligations under relevant treaties while adapting to developments in the labor sector. Her participation reflected the foreign ministry’s role in integrating broader human rights considerations into manpower regulations and practices.
Director General of the Public Authority for Manpower Rabab Al-Osaimi characterized the gathering as an extension of continuous endeavors to refine the governance of labor policies and establish a secure, stable workplace that meets international criteria. Al-Osaimi outlined plans for closer partnership with the Foreign Ministry in negotiating bilateral memoranda of understanding with labor-exporting nations while expanding engagement with relevant global bodies. The director general added that these steps would contribute to an environment aligned with best practices for both local and expatriate employees who make up a substantial share of the workforce.
Participants reviewed the Kuwaiti delegation’s contributions to the 114th session of the International Labour Conference held from June 1 to 12, 2026, a KUNA report indicated. That delegation comprised officials from the Public Authority for Manpower, the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Kuwait Trade Union Federation and representatives from the Foreign Ministry’s legal and consular affairs departments. The assessment of conference outcomes is expected to inform future domestic adjustments to labor legislation and enforcement.
The latest coordination builds on prior regulatory changes, including revised rules that permit foreign workers to transfer to new employers before completing one year if the original employer fails to meet obligations such as salary payments or permit processing, according to government announcements from late June 2026. These adjustments aim to increase employer accountability and provide clearer pathways for resolving workplace disputes through official channels. Authorities have stressed that such measures form part of a wider effort to maintain orderly labor relations across key economic sectors.
Kuwait enacted a dedicated law on domestic workers in 2015 that introduced rights to weekly rest days, annual paid leave and end-of-service benefits, a framework that a 2016 United Nations working group end-of-mission statement described as ground-breaking for the region. That statute, along with subsequent ministerial decrees addressing workplace discrimination and harassment, has shaped the country’s approach to migrant labor protections. Officials indicated that the current policy discussions will extend these standards to additional areas of the labor market while sustaining cooperation with international organizations.
