LONDON: A majority of people in the three Arab countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE reported feeling safe in their local areas even during late hours, according to Gallup’s latest global safety survey.
The Global Safety Report, published by the polling organization Gallup on Sep. 24, revealed that in 2023, Kuwait ranked highest in public safety, with an astounding 99 percent of respondents saying they felt safe walking alone at night in their cities or residential neighborhoods.
Similarly, respondents from Saudi Arabia and the UAE also reported high levels of safety, with 92 percent and 90 percent, respectively, feeling secure in their local areas. Bahrain lagged slightly behind, at 87 percent.
The Gallup survey targeted samples of adults aged 15 and older across 140 countries and areas.
According to the report, the high levels of security reported in the three Gulf Cooperation Council countries are primarily attributed to economic prosperity and strict law enforcement.
Kuwait also ranked highest in the Law and Order index, scoring an impressive 98 out of 100 in 2023 and maintaining its position as one of the safest countries in the world since 2019, as per Gallup’s annual safety report.
As few as 4 percent of surveyed adults in Kuwait reported experiences with assault and 1 percent with theft. However, the poll did not ask the country’s residents about their confidence in the police.
Globally, 70 percent of adults felt safe during late hours in their areas in 2023, with 74 percent of respondents from the Middle East and North Africa reporting the same about their areas.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia was ranked the safest G20 country for solo female travelers, with the western city Madinah receiving the highest rating worldwide by InsureMyTrip for the third year in a row.
