Kuwait raises blood money and improves gender equality

The Kuwaiti Cabinet has made important changes to its laws to modernize the legal system and improve human rights in the country. On Sunday, they increased blood money, also known as diya, from 10,000 Kuwaiti dinars to 20,000 dinars. This amount had not changed for over 40 years. The Cabinet said that economic factors, such as inflation and lower purchasing power, made this adjustment necessary. They noted that the previous amount was inadequate for compensating victims’ families and discouraging violence. The new law is now in effect and removes a previous clause that allowed changes to blood money by decree, creating more legal stability. In another significant change, Kuwait has abolished a law that treated men who killed female relatives caught in adultery more leniently. This was a controversial provision in the Penal Code that had been criticized for promoting gender discrimination. The government stated that this law was against both Kuwaiti laws and international human rights standards. Now, all individuals will face full criminal accountability for their actions, regardless of gender. This change aligns with the country's commitment to gender equality and aims to stop violence against women.