Middle East and North Africa: Kuwait
Political Overview Kuwait is considered to be at the forefront of the democratic movement in the Arab world and in the Gulf in particular. It is an oil-rich Arab country about the size of New Jersey at the headland of the Northwestern Arabian Gulf bordered by Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti Al-Sabah family from 1899 until independence in June of 1961. In November 1962, the people of Kuwait approved a constitution that transformed the state into a nominal constitutional monarchy. The head of government, the Emir, appoints Ministers and Cabinet members, with a 50 member National Assembly elected by popular vote. Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has been at the head of government since 1977.
Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq in August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault that liberated Kuwait in early 1991.
The population of Kuwait is approximately 2.2 million, with less than 45% actually being Kuwaiti citizens. Of the Kuwaiti citizen population, it is estimated that only 10% are eligible to vote. While the constitution affords participation rights to all Kuwaiti citizens, election law stipulates only adult males, age 21 or over, who have been naturalized for 30 years or more, or are the descendants of men who have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 can vote.
While women have made progress within many different sectors of Kuwaiti society—they hold positions such as Director of the University of Kuwait, lawyers, professors, cabinet undersecretaries, diplomats, teachers, deans and consultants and represent one fourth of the workforce, and despite their heroic role in the resistance movement during Iraqi occupation in the 1990s, Kuwaiti women continue to face significant obstacles to gain their rights in political participation. They are neither allowed to vote nor to run for political office.
The Government of Kuwait has expressed its support for granting women the right to vote and run for office by issuing several decrees in the last five years. These decrees have called on Parliament to amend the election law in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. The proposed legislation has yet to receive enough votes in Parliament to pass into law.
Program Overview
After several years of visiting Kuwait and speaking with activists and organizations, NDI began a program designed to assist advocates for women's political rights in developing an effective strategy to win universal suffrage. NDI is conducting a series of roundtable discussions, trainings, informal consultations, training-of-trainers (TOT) workshops, and providing relevant resource materials on advocacy and coalition building.
The Institute's program is focused on strengthening the capacity of women activists and other disenfranchised groups, such as youth, to improve their abilities to participate in and positively engage in the decision-making processes.
Contact Information
For more information on NDI's programs in Kuwait, please contact:
Leigh Catherine Miles, Senior Program Officer
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