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In May 2005, Kuwaiti women were granted the right to vote and stand for office, and the opportunity for women to exercise their new political rights arrived far earlier than expected when parliamentary snap elections were called for June 2006. Consequently, NDI initiated a candidate and campaign training program for women in addition to a comprehensive voter education program to raise women’s awareness of their voting rights. NDI continued to support women candidates, youth activists and voters ahead of early parliamentary elections in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, the third election in which women ran as candidates, four women were elected to parliament for the first time in Kuwait’s history.
In 2011, numerous corruption claims were levied in the Kuwaiti parliament, including allegations of multi-million dinar bribes paid to numerous members of parliament (MPs). As a result, the prime minister and his cabinet resigned in November 2011 amid opposition-led rallies and protests, and the emir again called for early elections in February 2012. The new National Assembly is comprises 26 new MPs (or 52 percent), with 34 of the 50 seats won by opposition candidates. However, none of the 23 women candidates, including the four incumbents, won seats.
NDI’s current programming focuses on fostering a new generation of women leaders who have the skills to participate in the political process, influence the policy debate and hold elected officials accountable on policies related to women. A mentorship program provides opportunities for university women to learn from prominent Kuwaiti women business, civic and political leaders, and internships with local civic groups and the National Assembly offer hands-on experience in the policy process.
Political Context
In 1962, less than a year after gaining independence from Britain, Kuwait approved a constitution that transformed the country into a constitutional monarchy and provided for the establishment of a 50-member National Assembly elected by popular vote, an act which catapulted Kuwait into the forefront of Arab democratic development. Since that time, democratic advances have been implemented intermittently, often when global and local events have spurred political debate. Additionally, ongoing tensions between the government and National Assembly over demands for increased freedom, criticisms of the government and legislative stagnation have impeded the pace of democratic reform; the National Assembly was suspended entirely from 1976-1981 and again from 1986-1992.
During the 1990-91 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the emir and the government managed Kuwaiti affairs from exile. Striving for unity, the government met with opposition figures during the occupation and committed itself to further democratic reforms, including a reinstatement of the 1962 constitution. Following liberation, opposition groups continued advocating for a lifting of martial law, restructuring of the cabinet and reimplementation of the constitution, which led to elections for the National Assembly in 1992.
In January 2006, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah succeeded his cousin as emir and was faced with an ongoing parliamentary debate over redrawing the electoral constituencies. By reducing the number of electoral districts, reformist MPs hoped to foster greater political competition and reduce patronage politics common under the existing 25 constituency system. The resulting deadlock between the government and National Assembly over the issue prompted the emir to dissolve the National Assembly and call for early elections. By the end of the balloting, Kuwaitis had replaced 17 of the incumbent MPs. Immediately following the election, the emir submitted and the National Assembly passed a bill reducing the number of electoral constituencies to five.
In addition to serving as a referendum on reducing the number of electoral districts, the 2006 elections were the first opportunity for Kuwaiti women to vote or stand for office. In 2005, after decades of advocacy, Kuwaiti women were fully enfranchised, and, less than a year later, 32 women ran for parliament when the emir unexpectedly dissolved the National Assembly and called for snap elections a year earlier than scheduled. Though none of the women candidates were elected, many ran effective and professional campaigns and the elections drew national and international media attention to their role.
After running as candidates in the snap parliamentary elections in 2006 and again in 2008 without winning any seats, four women were elected to the 50-member parliament in 2009: Massouma Al Mubarak, Salwa al Jassar, Aseel al Awadhi and Rola Dashti. Their margin of victory was much higher than most observers expected. The four women received a combined 38,549 votes, compared to a total of 21,352 votes received by all of the 27 women that ran the previous year. Three of these women ran in previous elections and the fourth, Massouma Al Mubarak, was appointed Kuwait’s first woman cabinet minister in 2005. Mubarak helped influenced the government’s decision to automatically register all women of eligible voting age in 2006 so that they would be registered to use their newly acquired voting rights in time for the early elections.
The dramatic increase in opportunities for Kuwaiti women resulted in the development of many women’s groups and increased women’s activism. In parliament, the women MPs were the driving force behind the drafting and passage of a new labor law, which stipulates regulations surrounding working conditions and workers’ rights, especially those for women. During this period, Kuwaiti women also won the right to acquire their own passports and travel freely without their husbands’ consent. However, women in Kuwait continue to struggle to build strong political support networks, win parliamentary and municipal seats and influence policy, particularly policy impacting women.
Amid numerous corruption claims made in the Kuwaiti parliament, opposition-led rallies and protests, the prime minister and his cabinet resigned in November 2011. Following the resignations, the emir decreed the dissolution of parliament and scheduled parliamentary elections for February 2012; the fourth legislative election in six years and the fifth dissolution since the parliament was established in Kuwait in 1963. Thirty-four of the 50 seats were won by opposition candidates. As a result, the new National Assembly now comprises 26 new MPs (or 52 percent).
However, the opposition gains also brought an unexpected blow to women, as none of the 23 women candidates, including the four incumbents, won seats. With 60 percent voter turnout, voters made it clear that they wanted to see significant change, advocating for the incoming government to combat corruption and increase transparency efforts.
NDI Programming
Increasing Women’s Political Participation
In 2004, NDI initiated its efforts in Kuwait to assist advocates for women's political rights in developing an effective strategy to win universal suffrage. NDI met with leaders in the suffrage movement, held consultations with Kuwaiti women activists and provided women with advocacy tools specifically targeted at passage of the women’s suffrage legislation. Following the announcement granting women the right to vote and run for office, NDI held its fourth Partners in Participation Regional Campaign School in Kuwait. More than 70 women activists and leaders from 15 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, including 20 Kuwaiti women, met to share their experiences, learn how to run successful political campaigns and help to build a regional network of women with the skills to succeed in politics over the long term.
As a result of the emir’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly and call for early elections in 2006, NDI modified what had been a 12-month program for women into a one-month, targeted and concentrated campaign training program. NDI initiated a series of one-on-one consultations for 18 of the 32 registered women candidates with campaign and media experts and elected women from around the region in order to provide tailored feedback to the first time candidates. These consultations focused on campaign messages, candidate image, fundraising, voter outreach, speech development and overall media strategy. NDI also worked with local partners on a comprehensive voter education program to raise women’s awareness on their voting rights and encourage them to vote, which 56 percent did on election day.
Following the 2006 elections, NDI conducted a series of focus groups to gain a better understanding of what factors influenced voters’ political choices during the parliamentary elections and to provide new insight into the perceived role of women as political leaders in Kuwaiti democracy. The findings included rising concerns about domestic and national challenges; negative perceptions of the performance of members of parliament; ambivalent attitudes towards women as political leaders; and an unsympathetic assessment of women’s performance during the June 2006 elections. The results of this research informed NDI’s programming to strengthen women’s political participation through collaboration with civil society organizations, work with political associations and preparation for future elections.
In advance of the 2008 and 2009 snap elections, NDI again provided training for women candidates and campaign staff, preparing them for the challenges running under the new five constituency system. Workshops included campaign planning, organization, message development, communications and voter outreach. Following the election of four women to parliament in 2009, NDI provided consultative assistance to the women parliamentarians focused on managing a parliamentary office, developing legislative agendas and communication with constituents and the media.
NDI has also provided training and technical assistance to organizations that represent and advocate on issues of concern to women. Programs have sought to help them coordinate effective advocacy campaigns, collaborate with each other and engage in the policy process. Organizations have addressed key policy issues including more equitable distribution of government housing, citizenship rights, employment, equal pay, education and health care reform.
Fostering a New Generation of Women Leaders
To help women increase their impact on national policy issues, NDI’s Tamkeen (‘empowerment’ in Arabic) program helps university women participate in the political process, influence the policy debate and hold elected officials accountable on policies related to women. The nearly 40 women taking part in Tamkeen attend leadership academies, gain practical experience in public policy during internships in the National Assembly and with local issue-based civic groups, and are mentored by experienced Kuwaiti women who are leaders in business, civil society and politics.
Domestic Election Observation
NDI has partnered with the Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS) in support of its domestic election monitoring initiatives. At the invitation of KTS, NDI sent international delegates to witness the electoral process in 2008, 2009 and 2012. In 2008, NDI supported a study mission to Kuwait for a small delegation of civil society representatives, party activists and government officials from the MENA region to witness parliamentary elections in Kuwait. The mission focused on providing delegates with the opportunity to interact with one another and enhance their understanding of electoral processes by witnessing an actual election experience.
When snap elections were held a year later in 2009, the government announced it would allow KTS to monitor elections from inside the polling stations – including the opening, closing and counting procedures. NDI conducted workshops and provided NDI publications for KTS domestic monitors. In practice, approximately 20 percent of monitors were permitted into polling stations on election day. However, in 2012 when the Institute again sent an international study mission to witness the parliamentary elections, KTS observers visited polling stations across Kuwait and were permitted into all polling centers visited on election day.
Municipal Governance
As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacity of municipal councilors, NDI has provided assistance to the Kuwait Municipal Council focused on strategic planning, constituent relations, communications, staff development and intergovernmental relations.
Regional Initiatives
NDI engages Kuwaiti government officials, elected municipal councilors, women candidates and individuals in regional activities. Kuwaiti leaders have participated in the Congress of Democrats, International Leaders Forum and a regional initiative to foster greater collaboration of Gulf municipalities.
Featured Stories
- Kuwait: Citizens’ Perceptions of Women in Politics (English) (Arabic)
- Video - Voices Rising: Women of the Middle East and North Africa Working for Change
- 2006 Voter Education Media Ad
- 2005 Partners in Participation: Campaign School for Women from the Middle East and North Africa
Contact Information
For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Washington, D.C.
Leigh Catherine Miles, Senior Program Manager
(202) 728-6304
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