About This Report
Prisoners of the Past
June 13, 2011

Prisoners of the Past

Kuwaiti Bidun and the Burden of Statelessness

Case Study: Talal O, 27 Years Old
Summary
Key Recommendations
To the Government of Kuwait
Methodology
I. Background: Who are the Bidun?
II. National Legal and Policy Framework:  Perpetuating Statelessness
Laws Governing Access to Nationality
The Central System to Resolve Illegal Residents’ Status
Potential for Reform
III. Document-Related Violations
Right to Travel: Passports and Travel Documents
IV. The Rights to Health, Education, and Work
Education
Employment and Property
Health Care
V. Discrimination Against Women: Another Cause of Statelessness
VI. International Law on Statelessness
International Legal Protections Against Statelessness
Human Rights Protections While Stateless
Education Rights
Health Rights
The Rights of Non-Citizens
Recommendations
To the Government of Kuwait
To the National Assembly
To the Ministries of Health, Education, and Labor
To the Ministry of Justice
To the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretariat
To the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Acknowledgements
Appendix I: Draft Law Apropos of the Civil, Legal and Social Rights of Stateless People
Appendix II: Letter to the Kuwaiti Government