GOK UPS ANTE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS; REQUESTS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 002041 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KWMN KDEM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SUBJECT: GOK UPS ANTE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS; REQUESTS IMMEDIATE VOTE ON NATIONAL-LEVEL RIGHTS REF: A. KUWAIT 1947 ¶B. KUWAIT 1907 ¶C. KUWAIT 1901 ¶D. KUWAIT 1863 ¶1. (U) The GOK surprised many during the May 16 session of the National Assembly in what was expected to be a re-vote on the proposed measure to grant women political rights at the Municipal Council level. Bypassing any discussion on municipal-level rights for women, the GOK introduced a motion, which passed 37-21, requiring the five-member parliamentary Interior and Defense Affairs Committee to report within one hour on the Government's proposal, submitted in March, calling for full political rights for Kuwaiti women. Another motion submitted by a broad-based group of MPs was introduced and passed requiring the Committee to consider permitting law enforcement and military personnel the right to vote and lowering the voting age to ¶18. ¶2. (U) The five member committee approved, by a vote of 3-2, the draft law granting women full political rights and also agreed by a vote of 4-1 to postpone the other two proposals. It was decided later in the session that three MPs would speak in favor of granting national political rights and three would speak in opposition to the measure, after which, a vote would be held on the proposed law. ¶3. (SBU) The session is currently ongoing and Post will provide an update with the results of the vote. ********************************************* Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website ********************************************* LEBARON