Bidun people are born in Kuwait but remain stateless, denied education, healthcare and employment
Mark Tran
guardian.co.uk, Monday 17 October 2011
"....Kuwait considers the estimated 106,000 stateless biduns (Arabic for "without"), out of a total population of 2.8 million people, as "illegal residents". Biduns are deprived of essential papers, including birth, marriage and death certificates. They are also denied access to free government schools and legal work opportunities. Alenezi, who heads the Kuwaiti bidun movement in London, describes statelessness as akin to limbo.
"Without ID or passport, you are not at home in the world," he said. "The future is not yours, you don't know the future of your children, you lose all your rights; if you die, no one cares for you. You are between the sky and the Earth, you are not going to fly and you are not going to fall down."...
Women are particularly affected. Kuwaiti women who marry bidun men cannot pass on Kuwaiti nationality to their children as nationality is passed on by the men, so their children could grow up to be stateless. Their work prospects are also bleak, according to a report by Refugees International, released on Monday.
"Bidun women have few prospects for employment. Largely restricted to low-paying jobs with no security, those who do find employment typically work in nurseries, daycare or as secretaries, and earn a fraction of what Kuwaiti women in the same position earn," the report said....."
Mark Tran
guardian.co.uk, Monday 17 October 2011
"....Kuwait considers the estimated 106,000 stateless biduns (Arabic for "without"), out of a total population of 2.8 million people, as "illegal residents". Biduns are deprived of essential papers, including birth, marriage and death certificates. They are also denied access to free government schools and legal work opportunities. Alenezi, who heads the Kuwaiti bidun movement in London, describes statelessness as akin to limbo.
"Without ID or passport, you are not at home in the world," he said. "The future is not yours, you don't know the future of your children, you lose all your rights; if you die, no one cares for you. You are between the sky and the Earth, you are not going to fly and you are not going to fall down."...
Women are particularly affected. Kuwaiti women who marry bidun men cannot pass on Kuwaiti nationality to their children as nationality is passed on by the men, so their children could grow up to be stateless. Their work prospects are also bleak, according to a report by Refugees International, released on Monday.
"Bidun women have few prospects for employment. Largely restricted to low-paying jobs with no security, those who do find employment typically work in nurseries, daycare or as secretaries, and earn a fraction of what Kuwaiti women in the same position earn," the report said....."
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