Islamist Party Endorses Women’s Suffrage

February 22, 2005

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4288583.stm

On February 22, 2005 the BBC News reported, "The Kuwaiti parliament is to debate a bill to grant women full political rights, a Kuwaiti minister has said. Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Sharar said that legislators would discuss the bill in March. The measure, which has been approved by the cabinet, will allow women to vote and to stand for election. Kuwait's Islamist Umma Party has said it backs the move, becoming the first Sunni Muslim group in the emirate to endorse women's suffrage. The country's male-dominated parliament rejected a previous attempt to enfranchise women in 1999. Mr Sharar said he expected the new bill to be adopted."