WOMEN'S RIGHTS: AN UPDATE FROM THE FRONT LINE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001947

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2015
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS
SUBJECT: WOMEN'S RIGHTS: AN UPDATE FROM THE FRONT LINE

REF: A. KUWAIT 1907


B. KUWAIT 1901

C. KUWAIT 1863

D. 04 KUWAIT 4540

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


1. (C) Summary: Two female women's rights delegations met
with Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on May 9
to discuss the GOK's position on the issue of women's
political rights. Both groups pledged not to discuss the
details of the meeting and promised not to protest or rally
in support of women's political rights before the May 16
session. Despite public assurances from Interior Minister
Nawaf Al-Ahmad of the GOK's intent to grant Kuwaiti women
full political rights, and PM Shaykh Sabah's public
confidence in the success of the municipal rights legislation
in the upcoming May 16 session of Parliament, many women
still privately expressed doubts about the outcome of the
women's rights legislation (ref C). Although some still
oppose legislation granting women political rights at the
Municipal Council level, all pledged to continue to pursue
national level political rights. End Summary

PM Requests Silence, Delivers Only Vague Assurances
-------------- --------------


2. (U) Two groups of women's rights activists met with PM
Shaykh Sabah at the Council of Ministers on May 9 to discuss
the status of women's political rights in Kuwait. The first
delegation was led by Shaykha Latifa Al-Fahad Al-Salem
Al-Sabah, the chair of the Kuwaiti Union of Women's Societies
and the second by Shaykha Dr. Souad bint Mohammed Al-Sabah.
(Note: Shaykha Latifa Al-Fahad Al-Salem Al-Sabah is the
grandaughter of Amir Shaykh Salem (1917-1921) and the only
wife of current Kuwaiti Crown Prince Saad Al-Abdullah
Al-Salem Al-Sabah. Shaykha Souad bint Mohammed, mother of
young and influential Shaykh Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak
(ref D),was married to Abdullah Al-Mubarak, son of Kuwaiti
Amir Mubarak the Great (1896-1915). End Note.) The second
group also included prominent liberal women's activists Dr.
Ma'souma Mubarak, Dr. Rola Dashti, Maha Al-Barges, and
Kawthar Al-Jou'aan. All women involved acceded to PM Shaykh
Sabah's request to not speak publicly about the details of
the meeting and to not agitate for women's rights before the
May 16 session of Parliament, during which the issue of
municipal level political rights is expected to come to the
floor for debate and a possible vote.


3. (C) Kuwait University political science professor and
women's rights activist Dr. Ma'souma Mubarak told EmbOff that
nothing tangible resulted from the meeting and that PM Shaykh
Sabah gave nothing more than the promise to keep pressing on
the issue of women's rights. She confided that all women
present agreed to not escalate efforts or rhetoric in the
run-up to the May 16 Parliamentary session. Dr. Ma'souma
said that this weakened their position because they were
planning to intensify efforts in the coming week but would
not now because of the promise.


4. (C) Women's rights activist and head of the Kuwait
Economics Society Dr. Rola Dashti told EmbOff that the
meeting with PM Shaykh Sabah was not encouraging. Her
impression was that the PM was only concerned about passing
the municipal rights bill and was not serious about women's
national political rights. She said he expressed unhappiness
over the statements issued by women's right's activists and
liberal NGOs urging the defeat of the Municipal Council
rights legislation (ref C). Dr. Rola said that the PM
referred to her as "a troublemaker" when shaking hands. She
is concerned that accepting only municipal level rights would
freeze the rights movement until 2009, when the next
Municipal Council elections are scheduled to be held. Dr.
Rola asked PM Shaykh Sabah during the meeting to refer the
issue to the constitutional court if nothing can be done on
the matter in Parliament. (Note and Comment: Article one of
the election law limits national level political rights to
men, despite the fact that Kuwait's Constitution makes no
distinction between men and women in Article 80, which calls
for "universal suffrage" and in Article 82, which states that
"a member of the National Assembly shall be a Kuwaiti by
origin in accordance with law." Referring the election law
to the constitutional court is a risky endeavor. If the
court upholds the current election law, then conservatives
will be armed with a legal ruling against women's suffrage.
If the court were to declare the election law
unconstitutional, thus according Kuwaiti women full political
rights, the opposition may claim that the court was
influenced or that it has no right to make social law that
contradicts their version of Shari'a. They are also likely
to argue that it is better to gain parliamentary consensus on
the issue if the society is to accept the change. End Note
and Comment.)


5. (C) Activist Maha Al-Barges told EmbOff that the women all
agreed to not discuss the details of their meeting with the
PM. That said, she divulged to EmbOff that PM Shaykh Sabah
promised to pass the municipal rights legislation on May 16
and to keep pressing for full political rights. The PM
cautioned, however, that full political rights may not be
realized during this year's parliamentary session which is
scheduled to end on June 28.


6. (C) Activist and attorney Kawthar Al-Jou'aan said the
meeting was a good one and that she believes the PM is
serious about pursuing women's political rights, although she
believes some of his ministers may not be supportive of the
measure. She told EmbOff that it was the first time she has
felt "optimistic about (women's) rights."

The Strike That Struck Out
--------------


7. (SBU) A rally and women's work strike planned for May 8
never materialized (ref B). The rally and strike were
intended, at least by some, to pressure the GOK to support
national level political rights for women. Others did not
actively support the rally or the strike and were not
surprised at its failure.

-- Maha Al-Barges told EmbOff that there was no coordination
on any strike, rally, or work stoppage.

-- Dr. Ma'souma Mubarak remarked that the idea's short notice
and weak planning led to its failure saying that it wasn't
realistic "for Kuwaiti women to gather on a request in less
than 48 hours."

-- Dr. Rola Dashti told EmbOff that "the intention was not to
stage a rally or a sit-in. We left it to each woman to adopt
a suitable position she deemed fit."

-- Activist Shaykha Al-Nisf said that holding a strike,
particularly in front of the National Assembly would be
"useless" and would not lead to women gaining their rights.

Next Steps
--------------


8. (C) All women publicly and privately vowed to continue
pressing for women's national political rights. Some like
Maha Al-Barges, told EmbOff that women will not oppose the
municipal rights bill but they will continue to push for
national level political rights. Others are likely to
continue opposing the municipal level legislation viewing it
as a half-measure that ignores the absence of the more
relevant Parliamentary rights. In addition, should the
measure pass, women would not be eligible to participate in
the Municipal Council elections until 2009. While Dr. Rola
Dashti remains hopeful, she believes that certain elements
within the GOK are opposing the PM's efforts. She appealed
publicly to PM Shaykh Sabah to "foil a major conspiracy being
hatched by a number of leading ministers against women's
rights." She also appealed to the U.S. to refuse to receive
the Prime Minister who plans to visit Washington in July.

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