FY06Q4 PROGRAM EVALUATION: U.S. SPEAKER DR. SARAH BREWER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004121

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP(BJACKSON),NEA/PPD (DBENZE),IIP/NEA/SCA
(SLECHTENBER-KASTEN),NEA/PI (ORICCHI),G/IWI

ABU DHABI - PASS TO MEPI REGIONAL OFFICE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OEXC OIIP SCUL KMPI XF KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: FY06Q4 PROGRAM EVALUATION: U.S. SPEAKER DR. SARAH BREWER
INSPIRES WOMEN POLITICAL LEADERS IN KUWAIT


1. Summary: On September 17 - 20, 2006, PA Kuwait hosted U.S.
Speaker on women and politics, Dr. Sarah Brewer, for a five-day
intensive speaking tour in Kuwait. The associate director of
American University's Women and Politics Institute effectively
engaged Kuwaiti female political activists ranging from progressive
liberals to religious conservatives during her four-day program.
The feminist intellectual enthused women activists as well as future
leaders at a variety of women's and youth organizations. The
speaker's engagement with Kuwaiti audiences generated new ideas for
advancing democracy, including proposing MEPI projects, stimulated
networking between Kuwaiti USG-funded exchange participants, and
encouraged linkages between American and Kuwaiti universities and
organizations. End Summary.

Program Description
--------------


2. Dr. Sarah Brewer, the associate director of the Women and
Politics Institute at American University in Washington, D.C.,
visited Kuwait September 17-20, 2006. She conducted rousing,
impressive lectures on women and politics before mixed audiences of
students and faculty at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) and
the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST). The speaker
spent time with members of The Women's Network, a liberal,
professional women's rights organization helping them to refine
their goals and objectives. She learned details about the campaign
process and the aftermath of the elections from former candidate and
president of the Kuwait Economic Society, Dr. Rola Dashti. Dr.
Brewer aided Post's alumni networking efforts by delivering remarks
at the Alumni USA event in honor of Kuwaiti USG-funded exchange
program participants (IVLP, VolVis, Fulbright, and MEPI) on the
importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders, strategies
for establishing links between U.S. and Kuwaiti institutions and the
value of U.S. higher education. Hosted by the Ambassador and
organized by PD, this special USG alumni reunion was attended by
more than 250 prominent guests representing a broad swathe of
Kuwaiti society.

Reinvigorating the Audience
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3. Dr. Brewer delivered an uplifting, encouraging message of hope
and perseverance: "Do not give up your fight and do not lose your
momentum. There is an opportunity for Kuwaiti women to hold
political office, as in other countries in the region." She
discussed the possibility of incorporating a "quota" system, to
ensure their participation in future parliamentary elections. She
encouraged Kuwaiti women and youth to pursue education in the U.S.
particularly at her alma mater American University. She also
promoted the idea of working with her Center, raising the
possibility of co-sponsoring MEPI projects and conducting distance
education programs on leadership and civil society for Kuwaiti
women.

Supporting Movement in the Right Direction
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4. Dr. Brewer engaged in dialogues with more than 400 Embassy
contacts at program events, including an exclusive luncheon with
eight female candidates and activists in the 2006 elections. Her
two lectures were well attended and welcomed by students and
faculty. Many female students appreciated her stirring remarks and
viewed her as a positive role model. Her talks received excellent
press coverage including a full page, in-depth exclusive interview
appearing in the Kuwaiti daily, "Al-Rai Al-Aam" on October 1. Dr.
Brewer also met with the ten-member board of directors of the
Women's Cultural and Social Association, one of the leading,
progressive Kuwaiti women's NGO's that supported women's full
political emancipation, a struggle originating in the 1950's. Her
program was publicized in the following articles, spreading her
message to varied audiences throughout Kuwait:

-- 9/20/06, GUST lecture, Kuwait Times (circ. 35,000),p. 4, 1/4
page, 1 photo
-- 9/20/06, GUST lecture, Al-Qabas (circ. 70,000),p. 16, 1/2 page,
2 photos
-- 9/20/06, GUST lecture, Arab Times (circ. 40,000),p. 3, 1/4 page,
2 photos
-- 10/01/06, exclusive interview, Al-Rai Al-Aam (circ. 80,000),p.
16, full page, 2 photos

Advancing Mission Goals
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5. A lively, energetic and motivational speaker, Dr. Brewer
effectively addressed a number of key issues pertinent to the

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Embassy's MPP goals, including stressing the importance of women's
political participation, organizing and political activism;
energizing political activity post-election; encouraging democratic
practices and embracing civil society values in Kuwait. Moreover,
Dr. Brewer's interactions with Kuwaiti political activists broadened
awareness of American society and values, particularly those that
support universal civil rights. She also conducted youth outreach
and encouraged Kuwaiti students to pursue higher education in the
U.S.

Surprising Impact
--------------


6. Participants maintained that Dr. Brewer's highly-interactive
speaking engagements increased their awareness of women's rights and
the importance of achieving social, economic, and political
equality. One conservative female activist and leader of a leading
Islamic women's organization, the Islamic Social Reform Committee,
summed up her personal sentiments by briefly uncovering her "hijab"
(scarf),flashing her shiny black hair, and calling Dr. Brewer "our
sister" in the struggle to gain equal rights both socially and
politically. On a lighter note, she told Dr. Brewer that "We receive
numerous visitors who want to write about us, but we never see any
of their publications or hear from them again." She added that she
was pleased to see that the Embassy is offering an opportunity to
hold a dialogue with a scholar such as Dr. Brewer with "no strings
attached."

Establishing Links for Future Engagement
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7. The conservative Kuwaiti woman assured Dr. Brewer that as women,
"We all have much in common and that we all have but one God." The
visitor was well received, exchanged ideas freely, and was briefed
on women's social development programs in Kuwait. Dr. Brewer
encouraged the society to correspond with her at the Women's Center
at American University and the young women responded
enthusiastically to her offer to stay in touch and communicate via
her website at http://wandp.american.edu/.

Dynamic Exchange
--------------


8. Dr. Brewer successfully and eloquently engaged Kuwaiti men and
women, as well as diverse groups of students and faculty. As a
result of her program, she inspired many Kuwaiti women to consider a
career in politics and leadership. Her visit afforded the Embassy
access to otherwise conservative and alienated audiences. She
generated increased good will toward the Embassy and reiterated our
support for Kuwaiti women's achievement of full political and social
participation in Kuwaiti society. Dr. Brewer helped the Post to
advance democratic principles and encouraged direct linkages with
American universities and educational institutions and organizations
in Kuwait. She discussed the idea of organizing a joint DVC training
program for women on leadership with American University, The Kuwait
Economic Society and AUK to be funded by MEPI.

Choice Speaker
--------------


9. Embassy thanks IIP/NEA for arranging Dr. Brewer's visit to
Kuwait as a U.S. Speaker for an extended program. Dr. Brewer was a
superb interlocutor on topics related to democracy, women's rights
and political empowerment. Post highly recommends Dr. Sarah Brewer
to other posts working on similar MPP goals and hope to see her
return to Kuwait to advance some of the program ideas she initiated
during her meetings with Kuwait women leaders.

TUELLER