GENEVA: Kuwait has been removed from a list of countries that the International Labor Organization (ILO) considers violating labor rights, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Subaih said yesterday. The removal of Kuwait's name was a result of great efforts by national authorities to address all shortcomings related to labor issues, Subaih, also Minister of State for Planning and Development, said in a statement to KUNA.

She underlined that Kuwait worked hard to address all remarks raised by ILO regarding labor issues. She said she met with Ruba Jaradat, regional director of the ILO's Arab Office, describing the discussion as "constructive". Subaih said they discussed the development of the manpower authority and cooperation between Kuwait and the countries exporting workers to Kuwait. She said they also discussed the unions' law.

Kuwait also called on the international community to apply the human rights laws to provide better living conditions for all people, including development and social equality. "It is an international responsibility to end the suffering of citizens in Palestine and other occupied Arab lands, who are deprived of their simplest rights as humans and are denied of having decent jobs," Subaih said during the 105th session of the International Labor Conference yesterday.

"Kuwait is keen to cooperate with the world to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030," she added. In this context, she said that Kuwait is executing many projects aiming to develop the country on all levels and provide people with a better life. Subaih noted that the country has issued several laws that allow those in charge of applying these legislations to further protect the rights of people. She added that Kuwait also established the Public Authority for Manpower and a center for sheltering foreign workers with a capacity to receive 500 people. The center provides health, mental and legal services to expatriates, she noted.

Meanwhile, Subaih said a meeting of GCC ministers of social affairs, held on the sidelines of the ILO conference, was very fruitful and they discussed labor legislations. They also finalized an MoU for vocational safety and labor regulations. - KUNA