Kuwait 2004: Women’s Rights Remain Outside of Kuwait’s Continuous Reform Trajectory

In 2004, civil rights in Kuwait have undergone several positive developments. In December, a number of academics, journalists and economists were allowed to form a new association “The Movement of Justice and Development.” Religious rights activists have also experienced a victory, when a license to build a new Orthodox church was granted in October 2004. Pertaining to the freedom of expression and the media, a new publications’ law reduced the maximum sentence of those convicted for instigating violent opposition to the regime or defaming sacred religious teachings to a one year prison term. Moreover, the judiciary was empowered to replace the prison sentence by a fine. In addition, in June the Kuwaiti Appeals Court repealed the sentence of an imam, who was accused of defaming the Emir of Kuwait. Islamist members of the parliament are also sponsoring a new bill that would grant the Bedoun— who though residents of Kuwait for decades do not have Kuwaiti citizenship— full citizen social privileges whi ch include access to free education, and health care. Despite this progress of liberation in various domains of Kuwaiti life, Kuwaiti women continue to be deprived of their political rights. Parliament adamantly continues to refuse any pressures from the executive, the media and from liberal political activists to allow women full participation in the political life of the country. Thus far, women can vote only in municipal elections but are denied the vote in parliamentary elections.