EU ambassador awards Chaillot Prize to Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights

• The Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights has undertaken the responsibility of defending and promoting human rights in the country through concerted efforts at both government and community levels

• The EU awards the Chaillot Prize annually for actions, campaigns, projects, and lifetime achievements that promote human rights awareness and advocacy in the GCC region

Her Excellency Anne Koistinen, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the State of Kuwait, presented the 2023 Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights in the GCC region to the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights.

The EU awards the Chaillot Prize annually for actions, campaigns, projects, and lifetime achievements that promote human rights awareness and advocacy in the GCC region. The prize is named after the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948.

In her speech during the ceremony held at the EU residence in Kuwait, Ambassador Koistinen said, “I am honored to present the Chaillot Prize for the Promotion of Human Rights in the GCC Region to the Kuwait Society for Human Rights for their unwavering dedication over the years to promoting and advancing human rights in Kuwait. I would like to highlight, in particular, their work in supporting and advocating for migrant workers’ rights in Kuwait and raising awareness about their labor rights. Engagement with civil society in Kuwait is a very important part of EU delegation’s work; therefore, I am looking forward to continuing our long-standing cooperation with the Kuwait Society for Human Rights.”

Mr. Khaled Al-Humaidi, President of the Board of Directors of the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights, said in his speech during the ceremony, “Being honored with the Chaillot Prize for Human Rights is a great moral support for the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights. This society has undertaken the responsibility of defending and promoting human rights in Kuwait through concerted efforts at both government and community levels.

We are delighted that the Chaillot Prize was granted to us for our tireless efforts in protecting the rights of migrant workers in Kuwait through the ‘Together Project,’ aimed at raising awareness and safeguarding the rights of migrant workers in Kuwait. This project was implemented by the Kuwaiti Society for Human Rights in cooperation with the European Union Delegation in Kuwait, the Netherlands embassy, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the US-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).”

For the EU, promoting and protecting human rights is at the heart of EU external policy, as they are among the EU’s founding values of human dignity, freedom, and respect for human rights. Cooperation on human rights and engagement with civil society are integral parts of the relations between the European Union and all countries, including Kuwait.

The EU and Kuwait held their fourth Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels on December 5, 2023, during which the two sides exchanged views on the latest developments on both sides and reiterated their commitment to an open and constructive dialogue to jointly address human rights challenges and share best practices.