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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05KUWAIT1016 |
KUWAITI ELECTORATE TO JUMP 160% IF WOMEN VOTE; [...] If the National Assembly grants Kuwaiti women the right to vote, women will become a vital political constituency as they will constitute 61% of eligible voters. The overall electorate will more than double to 39% of the total citizen population (cited as 956,000) from 15% today. According to [...] |
2005-03-13 13:19:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KWMN PHUM KDEM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS FREEDOM AGENDA |
| 05KUWAIT1091 |
KUWAITI WOMEN'S RIGHTS: WEEK IN REVIEW [...] (C) Summary: Indications continue to point toward Parliamentary approval of the GOK's draft bill granting women the right to vote. The Ambassador's contacts during the week shared their belief that women will be voting in the 2007 elections. Similar sentiments were heard on the diwaniya circui [...] |
2005-03-16 15:26:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KWMN PHUM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1200 |
KUWAITI VOTING RIGHTS WEEK IN REVIEW: FATWA [...] Summary: As the parliamentary review of the draft legislation granting women political rights moves slowly forward, Islamist MPs are making their supporting and opposing views known. The Ambassador continues to hear from his contacts that the GOK will succeed in efforts to grant women suffrage [...] |
2005-03-23 14:51:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM KWMN PHUM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1311 |
KUWAITI VOTING RIGHTS: MOCK PLEBISCITE CANCELED [...] (C) Summary: Pro-Government MP Jamal Hussein Al-Omar told the Ambassador that the GOK still lacks enough votes to pass legislation granting women's suffrage, but the Government continued to insist the voting rights bill would pass. Sources claim a cabinet reshuffle is in the works to secure en [...] |
2005-03-30 14:50:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1349 |
NEW INFORMATION MINISTER HAILED BY LIBERALS, [...] (C) Summary: Moving to fill cabinet vacancies in the run-up to an expected Parliamentary vote on women's rights, the GOK announced March 31 it had chosen Dr. Anas Mohammed Al-Rasheed, sworn in on April 4, as its new Information Minister. A professor and former editorial adviser to local Arabi [...] |
2005-04-04 14:13:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KWMN KDEM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1401 |
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL: KUWAITI WOMEN'S SECOND VOTING [...] (U) Summary: The Kuwaiti women's political participation debate has erupted on a second front: the Municipal Council. A new Municipality Law went into effect March 20 but without reference to the article that would have permitted women to vote, run for office and serve on the Municipal Council. [...] |
2005-04-06 13:32:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1404 |
STILL NO DATE FOR DECISION ON KUWAITI WOMEN'S [...] (U) An expedited National Assembly vote on Kuwaiti women's voting rights may not happen before May. The recent grilling and subsequent proffered resignation of the Health Minister and other Cabinet changes (septel) have delayed a Parliamentary vote originally anticipated for April. Furthermore [...] |
2005-04-06 14:00:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1600 |
PARLIAMENT GIVES NOD TO WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN [...] The National Assembly gave preliminary approval April 19 to a municipality law amendment giving Kuwaiti women the right to run for, vote in, and be appointed to the Municipal Council. The measure passed 26 to 20 with three abstentions. A second round of voting is expected to take place in tw [...] |
2005-04-19 15:01:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1633 |
KUWAITI WOMEN MOVE TOWARD NEW POLITICAL RIGHTS; [...] (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 anot [...] |
2005-04-20 13:52:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KWMN PHUM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1777 |
FOREIGN MINISTER: PROGRESS ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS, IRAN [...] (C) Summary: During an April 27 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah told the Ambassador that he believes that the GOK has enough votes to pass the women's rights bill for Municipal Council elections on May 2 and that once women are regis [...] |
2005-05-01 14:13:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON PBTS KUNC KPAL IZ KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS KUWAIT IRAQ RELATIONS IRAN |
| 05KUWAIT1808 |
KUWAITI WOMEN'S MUNICIPAL POLITICAL RIGHTS REMAIN [...] (U) Summary: The results of the second round of Parliamentary voting May 2 on an amendment to the Municipal Law granting women political rights at the municipal level were 29 in favor, 2 against and 29 abstentions, sparking a debate as to the actual outcome. Some MPs claim a quorum was not rea [...] |
2005-05-02 15:05:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1836 |
CONFUSION AND DELAYS CONTINUE ON WOMEN'S VOTE FOR [...] (U) Summary: After admitting that he was wrong to declare "suspended" the May 2 vote on amending the Municipal Law to allow women political participation (reftel), Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi provided the MPs with legal consultants' opinions on the previous day's vote. [...] |
2005-05-03 14:47:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1863 |
WOMEN SPLIT ON FUTURE OF POLITICAL RIGHTS, SOME [...] (C) Summary: During several meetings with women's rights activists and supporters on May 4, PolOffs noted varying differences in opinion on the chances of success for women's political rights. Several expressed little hope that the two-week delay requested by Prime Minister Sabah Al-Ahmad Al [...] |
2005-05-05 07:57:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KWMN SOCI KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1901 |
AMBASSADOR HOSTS WOMEN'S RIGHTS DIALOGUE; WOMEN [...] (U) Summary: During a May 7 luncheon hosted by the Ambassador for Kuwaiti women's rights activists, many women expressed astonishment that an amendment to allow women political participation at the municipal level did not succeed during a second-round vote May 2. In general, they now reject th [...] |
2005-05-08 14:52:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1907 |
MFA UNDER SECRETARY SAYS GOK SERIOUS ABOUT WOMEN'S [...] (C) During a May 7 meeting on regional issues (ref b), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary Khaled Al-Jarallah opened the discussion with the Ambassador with comments about the debate between the Government and Parliament on women's political rights. Stating, "I can assure you the Go [...] |
2005-05-09 10:51:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1912 |
PRIVATE POLL IN KUWAIT REVEALS MAJORITY OF MEN [...] (C) Political up-and-comer Shaykh Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah (ref B) provided the Ambassador with the results from a poll he commissioned indicating 50% of Kuwaiti men back full political rights for women. Another 28% support women's right to vote, but not pursue elected office, w [...] |
2005-05-09 14:16:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT1947 |
WOMEN'S RIGHTS: AN UPDATE FROM THE FRONT LINE [...] (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 supp [...] |
2005-05-10 14:21:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2041 |
GOK UPS ANTE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS; REQUESTS IMMEDIATE [...] (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, [...] |
2005-05-16 13:09:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV KWMN KDEM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY |
| 05KUWAIT2064 |
WELL WORTH THE WAIT: KUWAITI WOMEN GAIN FULL [...] After six hours of debate, the National Assembly passed May 16 an amendment to Article 35 of the election law granting Kuwaiti women full political rights, including voting in parliamentary elections and running for national office starting in 2007, the date of the next elections. Of the 59 M [...] |
2005-05-16 17:00:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL PGOV KWMN KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2093 |
"MABROUK:" KUWAITI WOMEN GAIN POLITICAL RIGHTS YET [...] (U) Summary: The Government resuscitated a seemingly moribund campaign for women's political rights May 16 culminating in the passage of an amendment granting women full suffrage. On the sixth anniversary to the day that the Amir attempted to grant Kuwaiti women their voting rights in 1999, a [...] |
2005-05-17 15:48:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KWMN KDEM PREL KMPI KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2094 |
MEDIA REACTION: FULL POLITICAL RIGHTS FOR KUWAITI [...] Summary: Kuwaiti media hailed the granting of full political rights for women by the National Assembly on the evening of May 16, 2005, as a "historic" moment. Initial reaction in all papers was positive and they are calling the granting to Kuwaiti women full political rights as the first st [...] |
2005-05-18 03:43:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO OIIP PGOV KMDR XF KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2173 |
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER SURPRISED BY VOTE ON WOMEN'S [...] (C) Summary: During a May 21 meeting, Speaker of Parliament Al-Khorafi told the Ambassador the May 16 vote on women's political rights was a difficult day and he had not been confident legislation permitting their participation would pass. He named the Prime Minister as the reason for the [...] |
2005-05-22 14:41:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KWMN ECON EAID IZ KU EPTE WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY |
| 05KUWAIT2212 |
SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT CELEBRATES NEW RIGHTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 22, Kuwait's Women's Cultural and Social Society held an official reception to celebrate the May 16 passage of the law allowing women to vote and run for office. The event, held at the Society's headquarters and hosted by its President, activist Shaykha Al Nisif, featured [...] |
2005-05-24 09:47:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KWMN KDEM PREL KMPI KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2416 |
JUNE 2 MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO MARK [...] (SBU) Summary: The Kuwaiti Municipal Council (Al Majlis Al Baladi) is an influential governing body that retains great authority on important issues such as construction projects, economic development, and commercial planning. Despite its "municipal" name, the Council's jurisdiction is nationa [...] |
2005-06-01 13:45:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KWMN EIND KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2509 |
AMBASSADOR CONGRATULATES NEW MUNICIPAL COUNCIL [...] (U) Summary: Ten Kuwaiti men were elected in June 2 elections to the 2005-2009 Municipal Council and the GOK appointed on June 3 two women and four men to the Council completing the formation of the 16-member local governing body. The Ambassador paid courtesy calls on several newly-elected Cou [...] |
2005-06-07 13:57:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PINR KWMN EIND KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT2674 |
AMBASSADOR CALLS ON FIRST WOMEN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL [...] (C) Summary and Comment: Earlier this month, the GOK appointed six members to the 16-person Municipal Council, including, for the first time, two women: engineers Shaykha Fatima bint Nasser Al-Sabah and Fawziya Al-Bahar. The appointments represented a historic first step for women's political [...] |
2005-06-15 13:44:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR KWMN EIND KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT3224 |
ACTIVISTS LAUD WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS; [...] (U) Summary: The Charge hosted on July 19 a tea for the three delegations of Kuwaiti women who traveled in early July to the U.S., the UK, and France to talk about women's rights (ref b). Other attendees included political activists, Members of Parliament, journalists, and members of the d [...] |
2005-07-20 14:53:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KWMN KMPI KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT4325 |
MEPI-FUNDED REGIONAL CAMPAIGN SCHOOL BRINGS ARAB [...] (U) Summary. The National Democratic Institute (NDI) held in Kuwait from September 25 - 28, the fourth regional campaign school funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). "Partners in Participation" attracted women activists from 14 countries in the Middle East and North Afri [...] |
2005-10-05 09:35:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM KMPI KWMN PGOV PREL PINR KU XF WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS MEPI |
| 05KUWAIT5183 |
LEGISLATION PASSED AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERING ALL [...] Following the May 16 decision to grant women full political rights, the National Assembly on December 13 approved a temporary amendment to the 1962 election law to facilitate the first-time registration of female voters in Kuwait. The amendment requires, for this registration period only, th [...] |
2005-12-18 11:50:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT796 |
KUWAITI GOVERNMENT BEGINS TO PRESS PARLIAMENT ON [...] If Kuwait's senior leaders have their way, Kuwaiti women soon will have the right to join men at the ballot box. The GOK asked the National Assembly on February 20 to hold a special session to debate a draft law granting women the right to vote, pending since May 2004. This move comes four day [...] |
2005-02-22 13:19:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT927 |
SPEAKER SAYS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COULD GO EITHER WAY [...] (C) During a brief exchange at a social event on March 5, National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi told Ambassador that the Assembly vote on women's political rights would either pass or fail by one or two votes. The Speaker said that the government could decide to handle the issue through [...] |
2005-03-06 14:00:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM KWMN PGOV KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT941 |
MEDIA REACTION - WOMEN'S VOTING RIGHTS [...] Summary: With National Assembly discussion of the proposed bill granting women their political rights scheduled for March 7, media speculation on the bill's chances, and attempts to rally both support and opposition, has reached a steady pitch. While handicapping has evinced no clear favorite, [...] |
2005-03-07 13:10:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | OIIP KU KDMR WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 05KUWAIT991 |
KUWAITI MP SAYS WOMEN WILL VOTE, ARTICLE 98 TO [...] (C) Summary: Kuwaiti MP Mohammed Jassem Al-Sagr, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed his tempered optimism that the National Assembly will approve the GOK's bill allowing women's suffrage. He added, however, that the GOK is nervous to pressure undecided MPs. Al-Sagr also predicte [...] |
2005-03-09 13:55:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KWMN PARM LE KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY |
| 06KUWAIT1176 |
FREEDOM AGENDA: KUWAITI WOMEN "JUBILANT" AS THEY [...] (SBU) Summary and comment: For the first time since being given full political rights in May 2005, Kuwaiti women exercised their right to vote on April 4 in a Municipal Council by-election. Female campaign workers and voters were "jubilant" about exercising their political rights. "Today we [...] |
2006-04-04 14:05:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 06KUWAIT1774 |
FREEDOM AGENDA: KUWAITI WOMEN CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY [...] May 16 marked the one-year anniversary of the historic parliamentary decision granting Kuwaiti women full political rights. The Ambassador attended an event entitled "Together towards a Promising Partnership" under the patronage of Amir Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmad and attended by Crown Prince Shayk [...] |
2006-05-16 14:10:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM KWMN WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 07KUWAIT174 |
PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE APPROVES "LANDMARK WOMEN'S [...] (U) On February 4, Parliament's Women's Affairs Committee approved a bill, introduced by Islamist MPs (reftels), that would give Kuwaiti women a host of new benefits, including the right to apply for government housing, longer paid maternity and mourning leave, unemployment allowances for sta [...] |
2007-02-06 13:50:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KWMN KDEM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 07KUWAIT220 |
NOMINATION OF MA'ASOUMA AL-MUBARAK FOR [...] (U) Post nominates Dr. Ma'asouma Al-Mubarak, Minister of Communications, for the International Woman of Courage Award. 2. (U) Dr. Ma'asouma became the first woman in Kuwait's history to be appointed to the cabinet when she was named Minister of Planning and Minister of State for Administ [...] |
2007-02-15 12:40:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KWMN KHUM KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |
| 07KUWAIT271 |
LIBERAL KUWAITI WOMEN SEE NEW LAW AS MEANS TO KEEP [...] (SBU) Aisha Al-Reshaid, a women's activist, journalist, and former candidate for parliament, told PolOff on February 19 that the proposed new law on women's social and civil rights (reftel) is an Islamist project to buy women's support while at the same time keeping them out of public life. [...] |
2007-02-21 14:27:00 | Embassy Kuwait | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KHUM KWMN KU WOMEN POLITICAL RIGHTS |