Day By Day

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Another Small Step -- Kuwaiti Women can Vote

BBC Reports:

The Kuwaiti parliament has voted to give women full political rights.

The amendment to the Kuwait's electoral law means women can for the first time vote and stand in parliamentary and local elections.

It was passed by 35 votes for, 23 against, with one abstention. Council elections are due this year.

The result, announced by the speaker of parliament, was greeted with thunderous applause from the public gallery where backers of the amendment were gathered.

There is one possibly large problem, though. The law also requires that women adhere to "Islamic Law" which some interpret to require that they be barred from leadership positions.

Read the whole thing here.



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