Bidoon Children and the Climate Crisis: Extreme Heat and Harsh Winters Intensify Inequality in Kuwait

Kuwait is becoming one of the hottest places on the planet, and children are paying the price. Every summer feels more dangerous than the last. Temperatures passing 50 degrees, nights that stay unbearably hot, and months of heat stretching from May to November are no longer rare events. Extreme heat in Kuwait can increase or[…]

Palestine, Normalisation and the Gulf’s Crackdown on Dissent

The sentencing of Bahraini opposition figure Ebrahim Sharif has once again drawn attention to the tightening restrictions on political expression across the Gulf. Sharif had been arrested in November 2025 by local Bahraini authorities as he returned from the Arab National Conference in Beirut. He was charged with “spreading false news” on social media and[…]

From Mosques to Prison Cells: Kuwait’s Escalating Crackdown on Freedom

Kuwait has always advertised itself as a more liberal Gulf state. However, current events provided a much more alarming picture of how state power is tightening its control over political speech and religious life, leaving little space for individuality, dissent, or fundamental liberties. Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs released a statement that prohibits[…]

Luxury and Labour in the Gulf Heat

The Gulf region is notoriously known for its constantly hot, sunny weather and luxurious, modern infrastructure, providing travellers with ideal conditions for year-round beach holidays and outdoor activities. Yet few recognise that delivering such services relies heavily on human labour, with many workers compelled to perform physically demanding tasks in extreme heat for much of[…]

Tweets and Trials: How Kuwait Punishes Free Expression

Although freedom of expression is recognized by law in Kuwait, it is heavily restricted in practice. Kuwait has been struggling with restrictions on free expression for many years; however, since late 2023 and through 2024 serious escalation began under Emir Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Kuwait has been a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil[…]