In a significant move towards gender equality, Kuwait has officially repealed Article 153 of its penal code, which previously allowed reduced sentences for men who committed "honor killings" against female relatives. Additionally, the legal marriage age has been raised from 16 to 18 to prevent child marriages and align with global child protection standards. These legal changes were published in the national gazette, Kuwait Al-Youm, on Sunday.
Under the new law, marriages cannot be officially recognized if either party is under 18. This aligns with Kuwait’s constitutional commitment to safeguarding families, motherhood, and childhood in accordance with Islamic principles. Previously, Article 153 permitted significantly lighter punishments—up to three years in prison or a small fine—for men who killed female family members suspected of engaging in extramarital affairs.
Women’s rights advocates have welcomed these reforms as a milestone in the fight for gender justice. Alanoud Alsharekh, co-founder of the Abolish 153 initiative, expressed her gratitude to Kuwait’s leadership and all who supported the movement. The campaign, driven by legal advocacy and public awareness efforts, worked for over a decade to highlight the law’s injustices.
Nejoud Al-Yagout, another prominent advocate, called the repeal a turning point, emphasizing that laws favoring one gender over another have no place in a just society. She noted that the dissolution of a parliament resistant to women’s rights reforms helped pave the way for this progress. She also urged continued efforts to protect women from violence and create new legal safeguards.
While raising the marriage age is a positive step, activists acknowledge potential challenges, such as unofficial marriages conducted outside the legal system. Nevertheless, they remain hopeful that this reform will help young girls focus on education and personal development rather than early marriage
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