Kuwait to speed consideration of women's voting rights law

Kuwaiti Women

Basic Facts
Literacy Rate: 77.50%
Female/Male Ratio: 1.57 males for every Female
Life Expectancy At Birth: 78.2 Years

Political Role
One of the most pressing issues in Kuwait today is women's suffrage. In May 1999, the Amir issued a decree granting women the right to vote and hold elected office, but the measure was struck down by the National Assembly in November 1999. Supporters have vowed to continue to push for full political rights, and the government has indicated it will again submit a bill to parliament in the next term. Once the Assembly approves it, the bill will allow women to vote and run for public office beginning in the next scheduled elections.

Although presently women do not have the right to vote, their role has nonetheless been active in the political arena. Not only did women play a major role in liberating their country during the Gulf War, but they have also proven active in several social and cultural organizations that routinely call for political rights. Many of these organizations such as the Women Affairs Committee, Kuwait's Union of Women Societies and other predominantly female organizations, have organized campaigns and conferences to protest the exclusion of women in the political arena. Kuwaiti women have been members of international women's rights organizations as well, and participated in the 1995 Women's Conference in Beijing. Kuwaiti women have on several occasions protested against their political ban; they have routinely marched on the National Assembly holding signs and banners demanding political rights; on other occasions, they have marched into voter registration centers in police stations demanding to receive their political rights.

Islam is not against women's political rights; in fact, under Islamic Law all human beings are equal. There is nothing in the Constitution of Kuwait that limits women's right to vote and run for office; an electoral law passed by the 1963 Assembly prohibited female participation in politics. Some supporters claim that this provision of the electoral law violates the Constitution.

Social Role
Women in Kuwait have many of the same rights as men. They are free to drive and dress as they please. It is common to see women dressed in western attire alongside women wearing traditional Islamic dress. Women are active in all aspects of Kuwaiti society, and are free to go out and travel on their own, as they please.

Education and Employment
Providing equal opportunity in the education of Kuwaiti females has been an important factor in liberalizing women's traditional roles in Kuwait. Kuwaiti women are guaranteed a free public education through the university level, as well as free health care. Female education began in 1937; its benefits are clearly evident with the emergence of a variety of professional women in the work force today. By the early 1980's for example, over 4,000 Kuwaiti women held university degrees, compared to only 38 in 1965. Over 67% of Kuwait University graduates are women. Presently:

The number of Kuwaiti female students at the Public Education Sector totaled 168,249; as opposed to 90,438 Kuwaiti males (KUNA Reports 281555, February 1999).

The number of students admitted to Kuwait University for the academic year 19971998 totaled 4,229 students, including 2,723 Kuwaiti females and 1,506 males (KUNA Reports 281555, February 1999). *For more information and statistics on education please visit our Education section under Statistics.

Women make up about half of the population of 2.274 million and compose a third of its workforce. Kuwaiti women are guaranteed the right to work for equal pay. An estimated 33.8% of the total labor force are Kuwaiti females, the highest in the Gulf region. They are not confined to those jobs traditionally reserved for females, such as teaching and nursing, but hold all types of positions from those in the government sector, to professional positions in the oil industry, to running independent businesses. They are represented in virtually every professional category. Kuwaiti women hold prominent positions such as ambassador, President of Kuwait University, and Under-Secretary of Higher Education. There have been several proposals by the Defense Minister, Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, to incorporate women into all scientific and military fields in the Kuwait Army.

Some Prominent Kuwaiti Women
*Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah: Under-Secretary of Higher Education and one of the Amir's most trusted advisors. Named International Woman of the Year for 1996-1997 by the International Biographical Center (IBC) in Cambridge, England., Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah has exerted most of her efforts in the fields of education, culture, and women's causes.

*Nabila Al-Mulla: Appointed as Kuwait's first female Ambassador. She was formerly a deputy permanent representative of Kuwait at the United Nations. Presently serving as Kuwait's Ambassador to Austria.

*Fayza Al-Khorafi: Distinguished scholar and professor and accomplished scientist, she is the first Arab woman to be appointed Rector of an Arab university (1993).

*Sara Akbar: Petroleum engineer, member of the Kuwait Oil Company since 1981. Played a distinguished role in extinguishing the oil fires following the Gulf War and cleaning up one of the worst environmental disasters in history. Received the 'Global 500' award from the United Nations Environmental Program in recognition of her work.

*Badriya Al-Awadi: Considered the top legal expert on human rights and women's rights in Kuwait. She holds a Ph.D. in international law, has published over ten books, and has taught law at Kuwait University for the past seven years. Ms. Al-Awadi's concerns include eliminating illiteracy and raising awareness of women's legal and political rights.

Helpful Sources to Look into:

*Al-Qudsi, Sulaman S. and Shah, Nasra M. "Female Work Roles in a Traditional, Oil Economy: Kuwait." Research in Human Capital and Development. Vol 6, pages 213, 246. 1990.

*Longva, Anh Nga. "Kuwaiti Women at the Crossroads: Privileged Development and the Constraints of Ethnic Stratification." In Middle East Studies Vol. 25, pages 443-456. Cambridge university Press, 1993.

* Tetreault, Mary Ann. "Civil Society in Kuwait: Protected Spaces and Women's Rights." In Middle East Journal, Vol. 47, No. 2, spring 1993