KUWAITI WOMEN MOVE TOWARD NEW POLITICAL RIGHTS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001633

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWMN PHUM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS
SUBJECT: KUWAITI WOMEN MOVE TOWARD NEW POLITICAL RIGHTS;
SOME FEAR FIRST STEP MAY BE LAST FOR THIS YEAR

REF: A. KUWAIT 1600

B. KUWAIT 1404

Classified By: DCM Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) Summary: Kuwaiti women moved one step closer toward
gaining political rights April 19 as Parliament voted to
allow women to vote in elections for and run for Municipal
Council (ref A). The amendment to the Municipality Law
granting women these new political rights is scheduled to
face another vote on May 2 before it can go to the Amir for
final approval. While the bill is expected to pass the second
vote, the high number of opposing votes on April 19 may be
fodder for plans to derail granting women full political
rights. End summary.

Second Round Voting Scheduled, Elections to be Delayed
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2. (U) The National Assembly approved a first-round vote to
amend the Municipality Law to permit women to vote in
Municipal Council elections and hold a Council seat, either
through election or appointment by the Amir. A second round
vote is scheduled for May 2. A second bill, delaying
Municipal elections until October, won approval as well. The
postponement is designed to allow time for women to register
to vote and campaign should they decide to run. Voting
registers are normally open only in February, but the bill
stipulates the preparation of a list of eligible women voters
within three months of the legislation's passage.

Doing the Math
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3. (U) A closer look at the April 19 vote reveals a greater
number of MPs opposed the Municipality amendment than
supported it. The measure received 26 votes in favor and 20
against. Of the 'yes' votes, Council Ministers represented 14
while MPs the remaining 12. All of the 20 dissenters,
however, were MPs. An additional three MPs were expected to
vote in favor but abstained (Hussein Al-Qallaf, Saleh Ashour
and Salah Khorshed, all Shi'a.) Another 12 MPs were not
present for the vote, most of whom, it is reported, oppose
women's political rights. Justice Minister Ahmad Al-Baqer, a
Salafi Islamist, refused to attend the vote due to his
opposition to extending political rights to women; however,
he had not publicly opposed women's participation at the
Municipal level in the past. Like in the first round of
voting, the amendment will require a simple majority of the
votes cast to pass, provided a quorum of the 64 Assembly
members. The amendment is expected to pass the second round.

High Number of 'No' Votes Ammunition for Rights Opponents
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4. (C) Women's rights activist Dr. Moudi Al-Humoud told
poloff April 20 that Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi,
who opposes granting full political rights to women, may use
the large number of MPs opposing the Municipality Law
amendment (20 against versus 12 in favor) as justification to
halt the progress of a bill to grant women the right to
participate on the parliamentary level (ref B). (Note:
Al-Khorafi voted against women's rights in the past but told
the Ambassador he was now in favor of extending suffrage. End
note.) According to Al-Humoud, Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with whom she and other activists
met three weeks ago, is still committed to women's suffrage,
but he listens to Al-Khorafi more than to any other Kuwaiti
politician. Al-Khorafi, who fears support for women's full
political rights will result in his defeat in next year's
elections, may dissuade the PM from pushing women's political
rights legislation for a vote this parliamentary session,
scheduled to end in June. The draft legislation is still with
the Assembly's Interior and Defense Committee, which is due
to issue a report on the topic.

Municipal Council Participation a Positive First Step?
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5. (U) Al-Humoud declared that yesterday's vote was a
"turning point for women, no doubt about it." Dr. Rola
Dashti, head of the Kuwait Economic Society and an outspoken
women's activist, told an English-language daily that the
vote was "a major gain for Kuwait and democracy." She added,
"We were worried that women may not be able to participate in
municipality elections." Energy Minister Ahmad Fahd Al-Ahmad
Al-Sabah spoke of the vote breaking a psychological barrier
and being the first step toward women's full political
participation. One activist, however, Naima Al-Shayeji,
feared that the April 19 vote would result in a loss of
momentum for the granting of full political rights for women.
She asked, "Why do Kuwaiti women have to get their rights in
doses?"

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