A/HRC/43/41/Add.1 III. Challenges and opportunities identified in Kuwait A. Data collection 20. Kuwait relies heavily on the collection of administrative data for the design and implementation of policies and programmes relating to persons with disabilities. The Special Rapporteur noted a serious lack of sociodemographic data and statistics on persons with disabilities, and of data disaggregated by disability. The fact that the national census and household surveys do not include questions on disability, and the lack of any disabilityspecific surveys make it very difficult to inform, design and monitor adequate rights-based policies and responses for persons with disabilities. Moreover, there is little to no demographic data on non-Kuwaitis with disabilities, including stateless Bidoon. 21. To address this gap, the Government should include the short set of questions of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics in the 2020 census and in household surveys. For data collection on children with disabilities, the United Nations Children’s Fund/Washington Group module on child functioning could be added in all other demographic surveys. This would allow the State to disaggregate all the national data that has been collected by disability and age, and to obtain internationally comparable data, which is also important in order to measure progress on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. B. Stigma and discrimination 22. Article 29 of the Constitution recognizes equality and non-discrimination on the basis of race, origin, language and religion, but does not include disability as a ground of discrimination. Similarly, Law No. 8/2010 does not include an overall prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability and does not state that denial of reasonable accommodation amounts to discrimination. 23. Article 22 of Law No. 8/2010 requires the Government to educate society about the rights of persons with disabilities, including by informing persons with disabilities and their families about entitlements, rights and services, by organizing awareness-raising campaigns for the general public, and by portraying a positive image of persons with disabilities in the media. The Special Rapporteur noted with appreciation the high-level political commitment and efforts of the Ministry of Information, in cooperation with the Public Authority for Disabled Affairs, to raise awareness about the rights of persons with disabilities. She praised the initiatives to counter negative perceptions of persons with disabilities and change society’s views, and to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society through a series of public awareness-raising campaigns, films and programmes. Moreover, she noted the intention expressed by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to raise public awareness about the rights of persons with disabilities during Friday prayer sermons. 24. Notwithstanding the above, cultural beliefs and a lack of awareness about disability continue to play a significant role in the way Kuwaiti society perceives persons with disabilities. For instance, the Special Rapporteur has received reports of children and adults with disabilities who continue to be hidden in their homes. She was also informed about women whose husbands divorced them when the wife acquired a disability, and about women and girls with disabilities who faced many barriers in their enjoyment of their rights in decisions relating to marriage, education and higher education. 25. During her visit, the Special Rapporteur noted the prevalence of the medical model of disability, with persons with disabilities continuing to be seen as “patients” in need of “constant care”, and therefore considered as neither autonomous nor capable of managing their own affairs. This approach is clearly reflected in Law No. 8/2010 and in the type of benefits and services provided to persons with disabilities. In particular, persons with severe cerebral palsy, intellectual or psychosocial disabilities are perceived as being incapable of making any contributions to the community or of participating in activities on an equal basis with others. Moreover, widespread perceptions that persons with disabilities are unable to work reinforces stereotypes and perpetuates their supposed dependency on caregivers by eliminating any expectation that they will enter the labour market. To tackle 6