Social Welfare for Children in Kuwait - Research Paper Example

Social Welfare for Children in Kuwait Introduction There are various basic concepts of social welfare. One of these concepts is that social welfare embraces program, laws, services and benefits that address social needs that a state considers as essential to the well-being of society. Social welfare puts much focus on both social and personal problems both potential and existing. Moreover, social welfare plays an essential development role through the provision of an organized system of services, as well as institutions designed to assist individuals or groups to realize satisfying roles in life. In the broadest sense, Social welfare can be used to refer to all efforts that aim at improving education, housing, employment, recreational and health services for the community at large. In Kuwait, the government pays special attention to children and is determined to offer them appropriate care and social welfare as evident from the convention on the rights of children that it signed in 1991 and other conventions. This paper looks at nature, scope, and quality of social welfare services for children in Kuwait. In general, the state is committed to providing the welfare of children as stipulated by the constitutional principles, as well as Kuwait’s international obligations under the conventions and treaties it has signed and ratified. Some of these treaties and conventions include the 1973’s International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention, which concerns the minimum age for admission to employment (No. 138), and the 1999’s ILO convention that concerns with the prohibition and immediate action for eliminating worst forms of child labor (no. 182). The government has taken the convention regarding the rights of children, and two optional protocol measures to protect the rising generation from any forms of exploitation, and spiritual or physical harm. In addition, it guarantees a right to education, introduced free compulsory education, and delivers treatment as well as healthcare for infectious diseases. Therefore, the government has taken up a number of measures as discussed below in order to keep up with these principles (Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations, 2007). The government provides primary healthcare along with preventive services for children, in order to lower the mortality rates, and encourage healthy living behaviors. Furthermore, it also shields children from exposure to delinquency, neglect, bodily harm and infringements of their freedom through criminalizing such acts and imposing very high penalties on them (United Nations, 2011). In order to deal with these, the government had set out a number of measures in different articles of the criminal code including the 1983’s Juvenile Act no 3, and the Criminal Code no 16 of 1960. The Ministry of Health also issued a ministerial decision in 2009, which required that all doctors report cases of psychological, physical and sexual abuse. There was also setting up of health communities in the regions so as to monitor as well as follow up on any of the cases that may be found. The Public Authority for Minor’s Affairs protects the assets of the minors (CRIN, 2010). Established by the 1983’s Act No 67, the authority acts as a legal representative for the minors, protects and manages their assets as well as any claims thereon until they attain the legal age that is 21 years. Additionally, it offers the minor protection in any other cases that are of humanitarian ground (United Nations, 2011). The government has also prohibited the participation of children in camel racing. It is a requirement that camel organizers use camel jockeys and robots instead. Institutions have been set up to offer leisure, residential and cultural services to children. For instance, there is the department for women and children that offers facilities such as kindergarten, as well as crèches for those children who are very young to attend kindergarten. Other examples include the Department of Family Care which has a children’s home and the Department of Juvenile Welfare. The government also provides for orphans and children of unknown parentage through encouraging the ordinary families to take care of them so as to ensure their psychological stability along with swift integration into the community. For this reason, the 1977’s Decree Law no 82 entitles such families to additional financial assistance so as to be able to meet the needs of those children under their care. Apart from meeting their needs, these families have to set aside money every month for these children to assist them in beginning life once they attain the majority age (CRIN, 2010). The governments as well established the Family Affair Supreme Council so as to straighten cohesion and unity in the family as a way of creating stability and security in the community. This is essential; as such environments are vital for the upbringing of a child. The council takes care of matters that deal with family including establishing of Crèches in women’s places of work and coming up with programs that protect children from any forms of a felony. According to the health report on the draft program that involved the cooperation between UNICEF and Kuwait in 2007-2009, the following facts were recorded (UNICEF, 2015); There was a drop in the under-5 rate of mortality from 120 per 1000 births in 1960 to 8 per 1000 in 2005 A total of 98.5% of children were able to receive full range vaccinations as concluded by Dr. Susan Kamel following a mission to Kuwait The death of mothers during or in connection with delivery were very low, not more than five deaths per year. In almost 95% 0f cases, delivery takes place under the supervision of a medical team. When it comes to the general children welfare in terms of education, Kuwait has shown a closer interest towards the realization of a child’s right to education. This is evident given that, Kuwait has provided education free of charge at all the stages since 1956 from kindergarten to university, and it is compulsory at the primary and secondary levels. The 2009’s Human Development Report of UNDP argues that Kuwait is the leading Arab Country when it comes to offering free education. In 2008, the expenditure on education accounted for 14% of the state’s budget, and it had succeeded in the elimination of illiteracy rate by 3.5% by 2009. In regard to special education that caters for children living with a disability, Kuwait has been able to offer comprehensive education services which integrates such children into the general system of education or has established for them special schools (Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations, 2007). In 1988, the Convention on Childs Right welcomed the efforts of Kuwait to mainstream children living with a disability of having learning difficulties during regular classes, while at the same time offering them complimentary courses that cater for their special needs (United Nations, 2011). The government came up with a social development office for children, which was designed to assist children who were affected by Iraqi aggression. The office’s manual entails a list of social, education and psychological problems among children along with the need to care for children of prisoners, martyrs, and missing persons. Moreover, the office provides counseling services in the form of programs that diagnose psychological, cognitive and behavioral disorders that have affected children as a result of the trauma of the Iraqi aggression. This counseling aims at assisting children to overcame their suffering as well as assisting families in providing social, psychological and education care for them (United Nations, 2011). In general, the office of social development’s declared policy and strategy accord great value to Kuwaiti children in delivering appropriate welfare in terms of counseling servicers, monitoring, and observation of the educational, psychological and social problems that they face through studies and research (United Nations, 2007). His Royal Highness, the late Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, established the Martyr’s Bureau with the aim of realizing the concrete goals of honoring its Martyr’s, commemorating their heroism, and above all caring for their families in different areas of life, as well as benefiting from a supreme value like martyrdom. The social development office has successfully proposed and implemented a number of projects with the participation of various sectors of the society not only to honor martyrs but also give donations for the prosperity of the society. The bureau pays special attention to martyr’s children, and it offers them a range of welfare services (United Nations, 2007). In order to ensure that the welfare services are successful, the office has included a number of psychologists and social workers who provide them with care along with essential services. These services are a combination of different training courses that prepare and assist them socially and psychologically to adapt to life. Such courses include skill development courses, family society courses and problem-solving among others. Moreover, the type of welfare is designed to see the children of at school through educational experts who offer them the necessary help and assistance in any of the problems that they may encounter. These educational experts have the responsibility to pay school as well as home visits and provide whatever assistance or advice necessary. As a result of taking care of their education, the majority of these children excel in their study. Moreover, this care also included the Bureau’s contribution to the enrollment of martyr’s children in University, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, as well as sending them abroad to complete their studies (United Nations, 2007). Conclusion The Convention of Childs Right found the social welfare services that Kuwait offered to children and its citizens at large commendable. Although the signing of the convention was during the first months of Kuwait’s liberation from Iraq occupation, the state had various burdens and responsibilities to bear, however; it did not forget about children or use the circumstances as an excuse to evade accession to the children right’s convention. This accession reflects concern for children for the protection as well as the promotion of their rights and their well-being. However, it is essential to note that Kuwait’s Article 11 Constitution only guarantees the right to social welfare to Kuwait nationals only these is inclusive of children. The social security system only covers children of Kuwait mothers, as well as those considered to be Kuwait citizens. Thus, a child who is dependent on stateless parents or non-Kuwait residents has no social guarantee that would ensure him a continued income or decent living in case his parents retired. Nevertheless, Kuwait continues with its remarkable efforts to promote the social welfare and rights of children through the adoption of effective measures. References CRIN. (2010). Kuwait: children’s rights preferences in the universal periodic review. Retrieved from https://www.crin.org/en/library/publications/kuwait-childrens-rights-references-universal-periodic-review UNICEF. (2015). At a glance: Kuwait. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/kuwait_contact.html United Nations. (2007). Conventions on the Rights of the Child: Kuwait. Retrieved from www.refworld.org/pdfid/47b99b6c2.pdf United Nations. (2011). In the third committee, member states detail national steps to safeguard, nurture children, call for more support for ‘the most vulnerable of the vulnerabilities.’ Retrieved from http://www.un.org/press/en/2011/gashc4012.doc.htm Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations. (2007). Kuwait. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/kuwait.aspx Read More