Women’s human rights in Kuwait

Summary Minutes of 16.12.1999 – Provisional Version

Human rights: women’s right to vote in Kuwait

B5-0342, 0351, 0370, 0379 and 0383/1999

European Parliament resolution on women’s right to vote in Kuwait

The European Parliament,

A. noting that, according to Article 29 of the Kuwaiti Constitution, all citizens are equal before the law, regardless of their gender, religion, race or national origin,

B. noting that Kuwait is a signatory to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

C. noting that since the declaration of the Constitution in 1961, women have never been granted the right to vote and to be elected,

D. noting that His Highness the Emir submitted a decree to the Kuwaiti Legislative Assembly which aimed to grant women the right to vote in parliamentary and municipal elections from 2003 and that this decree was rejected by the Legislative Assembly on 23 November 1999,

E. noting that in a second attempt the same assembly voted against a draft law with similar content on 30 November 1999 by a narrow majority of 32 to 30 with two abstentions,

1. Expresses its deep regret at the decisions taken by the Kuwaiti National Assembly, which exclude Kuwaiti women citizens from an absolutely basic right, expresses its solidarity with Kuwaiti women and encourages efforts to raise public awareness of the issue;

2. calls on the Kuwaiti parliament to adopt a draft law granting women full political rights, including the right to vote and to stand for election;

3. congratulates the Government of Kuwait on the recent appointment of a woman, for the first time ever, Dr Rasa al-Sabah to a government post;

4. Instructs its President to make every effort, in consultation with the representative of the National Assembly, to organise as soon as possible a meeting in Kuwait of the EP delegation for relations with Masreq and the Gulf States with representatives of Kuwaiti parliamentarians to discuss issues of common interest, including women’s rights;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, Emir Sheikh Jaber el-Ahmad al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti National Assembly