Kuwaiti Women Win Passport Rights

by Barbara McPherson | October 21, 2009 at 09:09 am

280 views | 92 Recommendations | 12 comments

In a landmark decision the Constitutional Court of Kuwait has granted women the right to obtain passports. Previously, women in Kuwait could only obtain passports and travel documents with the consent of their husbands or guardians.

The highest court in the Gulf Arab nation issued the ruling on Tuesday, abrogating an article in a 1962 law that required women to gain their husband's prior approval before travelling.

The Kuwait constitution guarantees gender equality. Women were granted the right to vote in 2005 and participate in elections. Currently four women sit in the Kuwaiti parliament.

This is a historic constitutional development for Kuwait. It is great to see women's rights being acknowledged by the country's courts.

Progress! American values do occasionally do show up in places they occupy.

This is great news. Here is a good article on the the changing roles of women that is supported by the teachings of the Qu'ran.

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MzA4NzY4OTcx

(Hugh) This is not just an American value, but also an Islamic value too according to this article. Sexism is alive and well in America too!

Nice to have the American support though.

This verse clearly demonstrates that men and women in Islam are equal to each other both intrinsically - within the very act of creation - and extrinsically, with respect to both their relationship with one another and their duties before God.

Sexism is nowhere near as alive and well in the US as Kuwait. I resent that comment. Making moral comparisons has to have some basis in quantity and quality.

No such degree of comparison can be made.

I would like to hear about the sexism, racism, poverty, bad eating habits of Canadians. You do have some things to work on up there, don't you?

When we look at the truth about ourselves, it hurts sometimes.

This is what I was addressing...American values do occasionally do show up in places they occupy.

I agree, Roy sexism tends to be worse in Islamic countries. But every country has its prejudices and every country strives for freedom and values.

I was merely pointing out that to value each human being equally is not just an American value. It is universal.

I am glad to see things improve in Kuwait for women's rights, but this happened because Kuwait decided on it as the right thing to do for themselves, not because someone else told them to.

There is also resentment in USA occupation that builds up, when they blaze in like cowboys. I know I will get flack about this, but the resentment is festering just the same.

I don't like to see this resentment, because I know you are trying to help. But it is in the method you use sometimes. "We are going to do it no matter what anybody says"... UN included. The UN may not be perfect, but it is all we got at the moment.

To address terrorism and human rights issues, it has to be done with global cooperation, not merely on the USA incentive. Even your new president understands this. I think this is one of the reasons he got the Nobel Peace Prize.

It isn't fair to others, and it isn't fair to the Americans either. Because this builds up more resentment. Resentment that other people don't appreciate the good that you have done. We want to love you guys, but sometimes it's hard, especially when arrogance shines through. Sometimes you don't even realize it, it has become so ingrain into your personality that it seems normal.

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of American friends. It is a great country. Just that arrogant virus that goes around sometimes....

A small step for Kuwait. A very big leap for humanity.

.Agent.

Hi Barb, can you add the tag womens rights to this piece.

Followup: Thanks for doing it already, Barb, the tag doesn't always work.

Yes, but it still depends on her taking flight if she lives under the thumb of a man who won't change ..one who threatens. It will take a long time. Even here when we have women come in for counseling from verbal,emotional and physical abuse the partners will threaten the counselors. Many have to go to shelters or even take a new identity.

Nothing is simple when a marriage binds people with different religious beliefs and interpretations.

This is still a step !