Kuwaiti women will be celebrating International Women's Day today with other women of the world who can boast of a series of achievements and success stories. Kuwaiti women attained their political rights in May 2005; voted and ran for elections for the first time during parliamentary elections in June 2006.Although none of the female candidates won a parliamentary set, women's votes had a great impact on election results. In addition, the Kuwaiti leadership has granted women the right to participate in political life by appointing the first female minister Dr Maasouma Al-Mubarak on June 2, 2005 as Minister of Planning, and Minister of State for Administrative Development Affairs.The Kuwaiti Constitution stipulates that men and women have equal rights and duties. Article 25 of the Constitution states, "All people are equal in human dignity, and in public rights and duties before the law, without distinction as to race, origin, language or religion." Although Kuwaiti women have been enjoying many civil and social rights for several years, a number of National Assembly members have adopted a draft law to grant them even more rights.The new draft law also lays down that men and women should be given the same salaries and equal opportunities if appointed at administrative and senior posts, and providing more rights to divorced Kuwaiti women and widows, and those married to non-Kuwaitis. Kuwaiti females have the right to equal education opportunities when compared to their male counterparts in both schools and universities.Kuwait was not only keen on giving women their rights by passing local laws and legislations, but internationally, through ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women. - KUNA
(Fonte: Kuwait Times, March 08, 2009)
