Kuwait: Women seek judicial empowerment

In their recommendations, the conference delegates affirmed the belief that women's judicial rights do not run counter to Islam, and that women have proved themselves as judges in several Arab countries, including Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Yemen. It recommended balanced representation for men and women in all apparatuses as long as they are equally efficient, urging mass media to favorably deal with women's rights in a bid to rectify misconceptions and misunderstandings regarding women issues.

Women should be entitled to the right to share in formulating and devising public policies so that they can become active in decision-making in all legislative and executive agencies. A culture of change and awareness is needed, legal illiteracy should be obliterated, and a cultural and knowledge-sharing atmosphere must be created to support women, the conferees said.

The conferees also called for setting up a shelter for female victims of domestic violence. Kuwait University Literature and Criticism Professor Dr. Seham Al-Fraih asserted that comprehensive development cannot be achieved unless women are involved in the process.

She called for setting up legal frameworks for protecting and safeguarding women's and children's rights and for establishing rehabilitation centers for women and children who are victims of violence. The professor made the call during the final session of the conference, which touched upon political Islam and violence against women. -

30 October 2008

Source: Kuwait Times