KUWAIT MEPIC 4: ABOUT 500 YOUNG KUWAITIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 KUWAIT 001224 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD ABU DHABI FOR MEPI (HWECHSEL, MHOPKINS) E.O. 12958: DECLAS. 04/08/2016 TAGS: PREL KMPI KPAO KU MEPI SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEPIC 4: ABOUT 500 YOUNG KUWAITIES BENEFITING FROM MEPI (MEPI QUARTERLY REPORT) REF: A) KUWAIT 605 B) KUWAIT 540 C) KUWAIT 436 D) 05 KUWAIT 4144 E) 05 KUWAIT 2732 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE' D'AFFAIRES A.I. MATTHEW H. TUELLER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: This MEPI quarterly report covers key MEPI developments in Kuwait during FY06Q2. During this period, INJAZ/Junior Achievement in Kuwait launched its activities targeting almost 300 students from public and private schools. CineMagic, a small grants recipient, trained six film students, instilling in them an appreciation for teamwork and public service. Nineteen Kuwaitis participated in and/or were nominated to participate in MEPI exchange programs and/or regional conferences. During this quarter, almost 500 young Kuwaiti students are benefiting from MEPI programs (ACCESS, CineMagic and INJAZ projects). In addition to MEPI activities in support of the Freedom Agenda, Post continued its efforts to promote political reform and there has been considerable progress in several areas of the Freedom Agenda, with goals for women's political participation and press reform reaching desired outcomes well in advance of the target dates. Post will continue its efforts to promote democratic reform, but regrets that severe budget cuts have limited opportunities to host movie nights, teas, and video conferences. End summary. MEPI Visitors Promote LDF -------------- ¶2. (U) The Embassy hosted March 28-29, the visit of Benjamin Orbach, MEPI Deputy Regional Coordinator, and Dima Toukan, a MEPI Specialist based in the Regional Office in Abu Dhabi. The MEPI representatives met with Kuwaiti civil society representatives, MEPI program participants, the Embassy's MEPI team, Kuwait's Graduates Society, the Kuwait Environmental Protection Society, and with the Acting President of the American University of Kuwait. The focus of the meetings was the recruitment of candidates for the MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship. Post also used the opportunity to exchange views with both MEPI Washington and the Regional Office on how to both strengthen and streamline MEPI programming. One option, which Post is now testing, is using the Embassy to convey all invitations to Kuwaiti participants for all MEPI-related programming. The intent is to identify new candidates for programs and confirm their participation well in advance of the start of any program. Status of FY05 Small Grants Projects -------------- ¶3. (U) During the second quarter of FY06, one small grants project, implemented by CineMagic, was in progress in Kuwait. Members of the Embassy's MEPI team worked closely with the grantee to encourage forward movement on the CineMagic project as well as on the pending LoYAC project: a) CineMagic's civic-minded film project continued its activities into the second quarter of FY06. Six of the expected ten students completed the film school's coursework. Four of the six students have nearly completed their films. The ultimate goal of this project was not only a high-quality final film product, but also screening of the films as public service announcements at Kuwait's cinemas and on television. The production process is as important a component of this project as are the final products. The process highlighted teamwork, men and women working together, and democratic dialogue, all of which had a tremendous positive impact on the project participants who had never had the chance to participate in projects requiring teamwork and the mixing of young men and women. The next four students are expected to start their training and projects in April, 2006. Their project will be completed as a short film of about five minutes, which will take into account several issues of civic significance in the same work. The project participants will work as a team to complete the short film. All remaining CineMagic projects are due to be completed by June 2006. (Note: Post has requested ESF funds for an anti- trafficking in persons project that would expand on MEPI objectives by using CineMagic graduates to produce a series of public service announcements on labor exploitation. Ref ¶C. End note.) KUWAIT 00001224 002 OF 006 b) The Lothan Youth Achievement Center (LoYAC) project on summer entrepreneurship training for youth is scheduled to be implemented in June and July 2006. The Public Affairs Section has put LoYAC's leadership in contact with international institutions that will aid the development of their summer internship projects. LoYAC included the MEPI logo in its advertising in Kuwait's Arabic and English newspapers and in its summer program brochure. Call for FY06 Small Grant Program Applications -------------- -- ¶4. (U) During Q1 and Q2, the Embassy actively recruited applicants for MEPI Small Grants, meeting with prospective grantees, promoting MEPI at diwaniyas and through contacts, and faxing MEPI information to grassroots organizations. Following the Regional Office's extension of the FY06 Small Grants deadline, Post also extended its in- country deadline for Small Grants. As of the first week of April, three proposals have been received, four more are expected. Small Grant applications, or proposal ideas, were submitted on a number of subjects: leadership development training, women's development in the Arab world, and on a workshop series on women's legal and political rights in Kuwait. We are also working with the following organizations on possible FY06 Small Grant projects: CineMagic, Kuwait Youth Organization, Lothan Youth Achievement Center, and the Women's Network. MEPI In-Country Programs -------------- ¶5. (U) Two large scale MEPI-funded programs also are progressing. a) The MEPI-funded ACCESS microscholarship English-language program began in November 2005. AMIDEAST is implementing the program in Kuwait with 200 non-elite Kuwaiti ninth- and tenth-graders participating in the six-month long English- language program which is tied in to other Embassy Public Diplomacy programs. b) During FY06Q2, INJAZ/Junior Achievement in Kuwait began implementing its pilot company program, where students organize and operate an actual business enterprise to learn how businesses function, about the operation and benefits of the free-enterprise system, under the mentorship of active Kuwaiti businessmen and businesswomen. As of March 2006, 266 Kuwaiti students from three public schools and five private schools began participating in the INJAZ pilot program. From the private schools (American School of Kuwait, American Creative Academy, and Bayan Bilingual School),155 students are participating. From the state-operated public schools (including two girls schools and three boys schools),111 students are participating. MEPI Exchanges and Conferences -------------- ¶6. (U) The Embassy's MEPI team has continued to offer support to MEPI regional and global activities, exchanges and conferences by recruiting, selecting, and nominating appropriate Kuwaiti participants. One area of focus has been recruitment for the MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship. The following Kuwaitis participated in or were nominated for the listed MEPI exchange programs and/or regional conferences during FY06Q2: ¶A. Regional Conference Participants: 1) Arab Civitas Conference on Civic Education, Jordan (February 2006): - Dr. Wafaa Al-Yaseen, Kuwait University 2) MEPI Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders Alumni Conference, Abu Dhabi (February 2006): - Sulaiman Al-Khayri, Kuwait University ¶B. Ongoing Exchange Participants: 1) MEPI U.S. Business Internship Program for Young Middle Eastern Women (November 2005 - April 2006): - Ms. Alia Al-Mutawa, Assistant in Administration Marketing, Petrochemical Industries Company - Ms. Reem Al-Hajri, Senior Investment Officer, KIPCO Asset Management Company KUWAIT 00001224 003 OF 006 2) Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the United States-- MEET U.S. (March - April 2006): - Hissah Al-Sabah, Managing Director, Dar Al-Funoon Art Gallery - Manal Al-Husaini, General Manager and owner of Comtec Trading Corporation - Wafa Al-Rasheed, Technical Director at the Kuwait Stock Exchange ¶C. Selected Participants: The following candidates are to participate in the MEPI Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders (summer, 2006): University Students: - Mr. Khalifa Al-Azmi, Kuwait University - Mr. Abbas Kamal, Kuwait University - Mr. Mohammed Abdulsalam, Kuwait University - Mr. Abdullah Al-Sharrah, Kuwait University Recent High School Graduate: - Ms. Dalal, Al-Wazzan, Bibi Al-Salem High School ¶D. Nominated Participants (Post is awaiting notification of their participation status): 1) Democracy and Election Management Institute (June, 2006): - Mr. Ali Murad, Director of the Elections Department at the Ministry of Interior - Dr. Jassem Karam, Kuwait University - Dr. Ali Al-Zuabi, Kuwait University 2) MEPI Independent Media Project: - Mr. Ahmed Al-Ghanim, Thouq Magazine - Ms. Hadia Ghezali, who want to publish a new independent magazine focusing on women's issues. 3) MEPI-USPTO U.S. Study Tour for Middle East Region Public Law Librarians (June 2006): - Ms. Bashayer Al-Randi, Kuwait University - Ms. May Al-Kulaib, Kuwait University SPA Grant Proposals Review -------------- ¶7. (U) On February 11, 2006, the Embassy's MEPI team met to evaluate the Kuwait- related SPA Grant proposals. Two organizations' proposals were given high rankings: IFES (proposal number 530),and the Kuwait Environmental Protection Society (proposal number 466). The proposal from the Arab Organization of Disabled People (proposal number 522) was medium-ranked. The IFES, KEPS and AODP proposals each suggested a probability of success and included the appropriate target audiences (such as youth),and themes (such as democratization and environmental civic activism). ¶8. (U) The following Kuwait-related proposals were low-ranked: 490 - American University, 514 - The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI),513 - The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and 487 - Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies. Proposals from the following organizations were not recommended for funding: 450 - Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession, 469 - Arab Program for Human Rights Activists, and 492 - Arab Penal Reform Organization. The rejected proposed projects tended to be vague, with unclear measurements of success or were just not needed in Kuwait. The proposals did not adequately match the Embassy's priorities in the field of reforms related to MEPI and the Freedom Agenda. The Next Year of MEPI in Kuwait: New Targets, New Focus -------------- -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Many of the Embassy's political reform goals and MEPI benchmarks have been met, including women gaining full political rights, and progress on the horizon for electoral constituency reform. MEPI projects now need to focus more on in-country programming. Kuwait is now entering an election year. Kuwaiti women ran for elected office and voted for the first time on April 4 in a Municipal Council by-election; the first parliamentary elections in which women will vote and run, KUWAIT 00001224 004 OF 006 is scheduled to be held in July 2007. This time-frame will limit the ability and willingness of Kuwaitis to participate in out-of-country or long-term MEPI exchanges or training projects between now and July, ¶2007. Kuwaiti civil society leaders and political participants will not be able to afford to spend time away from the country when campaign preparations and grassroots organizing will be required of candidates (prior to the spring of 2007),and particularly not when campaigning will be most intense (from March 2007 onward). Second, overt visits to the United States for campaign training too close to the elections and under the microscope of an election-year-energized press will have the undesired effect of tainting candidates as "American candidates," diminishing their chances for success. Furthermore, training or development workshops far from Kuwait would also, in the view of some conservative elements in Kuwait's political spectrum, lack transparency and further increase distrust in American-trained candidates. Such an outcome would certainly be counterproductive. ¶10. (U) MEPI should therefore increase its focus on in-country democracy training and campaign support. The Embassy also has had a significant budget cut for FY06. Thus, the ability of the various Embassy sections to support MEPI has been hit as have all other programs. MEPI financial support for Post's MEPI outreach efforts, including for representational events, and for Post-run MEPI projects, would have a distinct positive impact on furthering the reach of MEPI and the Freedom Agenda in Kuwait. ¶11. (U) One additional issue of note is the consequences of recycling MEPI participants. The trend has been to offer MEPI training and program opportunities to the same persons. This phenomenon limits the audience of new contacts and provides experienced participants little new in follow-on workshops or seminars. We need to diversify the base of participants in democracy-building workshops, and develop more advanced and focused training topics and methods for past participants in MEPI training programs and seminars. Freedom Agenda Report Card: Gold Star for Women's Participation -------------- -------------- ¶12. (C) In addition to advances in MEPI programs, there has been considerable progress in several areas of the Freedom Agenda, with most goals reaching the desired outcome well in advance of the target date. For example, Post set December 2006 as the target date for the registration of female voters and in December 2005, the GOK began the automatic registration of female voters through their civil identification numbers, registering 195,000 by February ¶2006. At least eight women have expressed an interest in running for Parliament in 2007 and one, journalist Aisha Al-Reshaid, has launched an aggressive campaign. In early March, she received a threatening letter which authorities immediately and publicly investigated. The unidentified author later admitted his grievance was against women's political participation in general and not specifically against Al-Reshaid. He had a personal stake as well; his brother, a former MP, lost in the 2003 elections and the author feared an expanded voter and candidate pool would further erode his brother's chances for re-election. ¶13. (SBU) The appointment of Municipal Council member Abdullah Al-Muhailbi to a ministerial position opened the field for women to run for office in special elections to fill the vacant seat. Among the eight candidates were two women who both wear the hijab and hail from Kuwait's minority Shi'a population. Their campaigns attracted daily press attention and all eyes were on the 28,000 voters in the fifth constituency (of which 58 percent are women) and how they would vote. Most did not expect them to be successful; nevertheless their campaigns bode well for women's political participation. Their campaign tents attracted male and female audiences and the women have used websites and logos to overcome cultural sensitivities about using women's pictures on campaign posters. One male candidate, to reach female voters, enlisted his female relatives to campaign on his behalf. The by-election was held April 4 and KUWAIT 00001224 005 OF 006 one of the women finished in second place which Kuwait is celebrating as a clear victory for women's rights. ¶14. (SBU) Despite the successes, women still have far to go before the 2007 parliamentary elections. Training programs for both candidates and the electorate remain a priority. Local groups, including the Women's Cultural and Social Society and the Kuwait Teacher's Association have embarked on training programs, but still welcome U.S. expertise. Post looks forward to the return to Kuwait of NDI and recommends that its Kuwait program include a strong focus on fundraising, non-traditional campaigning, and developing a coherent political platform and a broad support base. Some of the women running for office have made personal status issues -- housing for divorced women, transmission of citizenship by women to their children, and the status of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis -- key aspects of their campaigns. Post applauds them for highlighting social inequalities, but by doing so, they have only attracted the support of a small group of women, but have not identified issues that resonate among the larger society, including both men and women who support full political participation. ¶15. (C) Post has used movie nights, teas, DVC exchanges, and holiday celebrations to engage women and other Kuwaiti contacts on political participation. Several MEPI- funded projects have further advanced this goal. Despite the low-key, but persistent approach, many maintain the U.S. played a direct role in the May 16, 2005 decision to grant women full political rights. Ministry of Education Undersecretary Dr. Rasha Al- Sabah, at an International Women's Day luncheon hosted by Mrs. LeBaron and PAO, acknowledged the support of the U.S. to Kuwaiti women in the struggle to achieve their political rights. Post deeply regrets that severe budget cuts have virtually eliminated funding for such events, which are often the only time that Kuwaiti women from different political spheres and socioeconomic groups come together. To offset Post's inability to fund local activities, the Embassy strongly recommends that MEPI funds be used to immediately initiate a regional program targeting those countries where elections will take place. With elections in Kuwait only a year away, it's essential to conduct as many training activities as possible in-country in order to appeal to and attract a broad base. An ideal program would consist of one or two-seminars for both women and men and include as speakers American and Arab women who have run, successfully or not, for public office. Lessons learned type programs are well received and it is important to reinforce that failure to win an election does not equate with failure to influence the process or affect change. Solid B on Press Freedom -------------- ¶16. (C) Post also set December 2006 as a target date for passage of a new Press and Publications law. On March 6, the National Assembly passed a new law which, while not perfect, is a welcome change from the 1961 legislation that had been in effect. Although the new law increases the penalties for publications that violate the law's religious clauses, most observers believe it affords greater protections for press freedom. Post engaged heavily with Government officials, Members of Parliament, and media representatives on the benefits of the new law. We will continue to closely monitor the press; include journalists and editors in International Visitor Programs and other projects to strengthen their abilities and promote responsible journalism; and track the launching of new publications. An "Incomplete" for Political Reform -------------- ¶17. (C) Another December 2006 target was GOK introduction and debate on the establishment of political parties. The GOK has identified electoral constituency reform as a prerequisite to the establishment of parties and has initiated a dialogue with Parliament on the desired number and geographical boundaries of the constituencies following a reduction in their numbers. Formal debate is scheduled for April 17. There is consensus on the need for reform and its importance to transparency and the participation of women, but there is lack of agreement on how best to achieve that goal. GOK officials have publicly KUWAIT 00001224 006 OF 006 called for constituency reform, but many parliamentarians and political strategists have questioned the sincerity of the GOK, arguing that if the GOK were serious about reform, it would press harder for reducing the number of constituencies. MP Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager recommended the U.S. exert greater pressure on the GOK to redraw constituencies. The Ambassador and EmbOffs continually raise electoral reform with Kuwaiti contacts, insisting that without it, there will be no meaningful political reform in Kuwait. Post will continue to press for reform and also remind that GOK that in order for Kuwait to be an active participant in Community of Democracies meetings, it must establish political parties. Post has also nominated three candidates for the MEPI-funded American University's Center for Democracy and Election Management Institute. Post would welcome additional programs and DVCs targeting the importance of electoral reform to political reform. Coming Up Next Quarter -------------- ¶18. (U) The next quarter for MEPI in Kuwait is expected to be robust. Post will review FY06 Small Grant proposals, begin one outstanding FY05 Small Grant project and complete another FY05 Small Grant project. Additionally, first results from the INJAZ/Junior Achievement project ought to be available and summer projects will begin. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * TUELLER