The legal framework for the right to access information and digital transformation in Kuwait: a qualitative study

Currently, almost 99% of Kuwait’s population are active internet users. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that their rights are protected in this area. Kuwait adopted Law No. 12 of 2020 to regulate citizen’s right to access to information. The purpose of this research is to assess the effectiveness of this legislation and draw specific attention to its barriers and recommendations on how these issues can be overcome. Fifteen experts (five per profession) were asked to participate in semi-structured interviews. A comprehensive thematic analysis was then conducted to delve deeper into their answers and get insights from this qualitative data. In total, 74 codes, three themes, ten specific sub-themes were identified. Among the main findings of this study is that the law implementation is compromised due to its poor articulation, which allows administrative authorities to make arbitrary decisions. Citizens’ lack of awareness of the law and their rights is another challenge to the efficient implementation of the law. The experts offer three suggestions on how Kuwait can improve the law. Finally, the study concludes that further research is required to expand on the findings. Comprehensive educational programmes are also needed for citizens and the administrative staff.