Kuwait: Bidoon inch towards citizenship

The National Assembly approved a bill on 14 May that could lead to citizenship being granted to up to 4,000 “illegal residents” in 2016, with similar numbers expected to be approved on an annual basis going forward. The legislation was portrayed as a partial solution to the country’s large population of bidoon (stateless residents), although it also covers other groups including the children of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis. According to official figures, Kuwait is home to 34,000 bidoon; other estimates put the figure at over 100,000.