Cairo: Kuwait’s state rights watchdog has called for scrapping the kafeel (sponsorship) system in the country where migrant workers make up the majority of population.
“The kafeel system must end because it distorts Kuwait’s image and has been manipulated,” Head of the National Diwan for Human Rights Jassim Al Mubaraki said.
He added on the sidelines of a symposium that the system has given birth to illegal trade in visas for migrants.
“The visa trade does not serve Kuwait’s interests or its development. It has distorted its image abroad and is seen globally as a form of human trafficking,” he added.
Foreigners make up nearly 3.4 million of Kuwait's overall population of 4.6 million.
A total of 190,000 foreign workers have left Kuwait since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in early 2020, according to figures released last month.
