Regional/Cultural Day
Youm al-Ummal
The day is observed by the expatriate workers who make up 70 percent of Kuwait's population. Kuwaiti citizens are a minority in their own country, and the labour movement is led by expatriates who are demanding better working conditions, an end to the kafala (sponsorship) system, and the right to organize. The march is small but visible, and the demands are real. The kafala system, which ties a worker's legal status to their employer, has been described by human rights organizations as a form of modern slavery, and the Kuwaiti government has made some reforms but has not abolished it.