A volatile mix of competing factions within Yemen’s major Islamist party is preventing the group from developing a clear platform. Tribal, Muslim Brotherhood, and Salafi elements within the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) has led to a lack of unity and hampered the party’s performance, explains Amr Hamzawy in a new paper.
Originally an ally of the ruling General People’s Congress (GPC) and a junior member in the government following the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990, Islah joined the opposition in 1997 in protest over the government’s lack of progress on democratic reforms. It has continued to switch sides on key policy issues between the ruling party and the opposition ever since.
Key Conclusions:
• Although Islah has emerged as the strongest opposition group in Yemen, it has failed to secure any major legislative accomplishments since leaving the ruling coalition in 1997.
• Islah emphasizes peaceful political participation. It recognizes the rights of secular movements and supports democracy as compatible with Islam. Islah has also democratized its internal procedures and decision-making processes.
• Since moving into the opposition, Islah, which started its political participation calling for the Islamization of state and society, has focused less on religious and moral legislation, instead prioritizing political, social, and economic reforms.
• Like many Arab Islamist movements, Islah has created religious, charitable, and educational institutions to enlarge its base by delivering social services.
• To counter Islah’s growing strength, the GPC has sought to deepen the rifts between Islah’s various factions, and to limit the group’s control over mosques.
• Yemeni Salafis are skeptical of democratic participation, but continue to view Islah as their best available option, and have voted for its candidates in recent presidential and local elections.
“Although Islah’s long-standing internal divisions have hindered the party’s parliamentary prospects, more than anything, the concentration of power in the hands of President Saleh and the ruling GPC has stifled its legislative success,” Hamzawy cautions. “At this level, the experience of Islamists in Yemen corresponds to the wider regional pattern of Islamist parties and movements, which have proven ineffective in opposition to authoritarian regimes.”
Showing posts with label political participation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label political participation. Show all posts
Friday, November 13, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Yemen: Program of supporting women's access to parliament launched
SANA'A, May 10 (Saba) - The Cultural Development Foundation in cooperation with the Partnership Program of the European Union inaugurated here on Sunday the program of supporting women's access to parliament.
Chairwoman of the foundation Raufah Hassan reviewed the situation of the women political participation and activities of the foundation in order to promote this participation.
She also pointed out to the objective of establishing "supporters networks" which was set up to create awareness over the importance of women participation in political life as well as to increase the number of women candidates for elections.
For his part, the European Commission charge de affairs Michele Cervole d'UrSo noted to the important role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in finding solutions to support the representation of the women in Parliament.
The executive director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Peter Williams reviewed the experiences of a number of European and third world countries in this area, affirming the need to seek a support for the Yemeni women regardless of the electoral support.
He considered the Quota system is the best in Yemen.
FJ/AH
Saba
Chairwoman of the foundation Raufah Hassan reviewed the situation of the women political participation and activities of the foundation in order to promote this participation.
She also pointed out to the objective of establishing "supporters networks" which was set up to create awareness over the importance of women participation in political life as well as to increase the number of women candidates for elections.
For his part, the European Commission charge de affairs Michele Cervole d'UrSo noted to the important role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in finding solutions to support the representation of the women in Parliament.
The executive director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) Peter Williams reviewed the experiences of a number of European and third world countries in this area, affirming the need to seek a support for the Yemeni women regardless of the electoral support.
He considered the Quota system is the best in Yemen.
FJ/AH
Saba
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Kuwait: Women sure to occupy seats in next parliament, shows survey
Arab Times
KUWAIT, April 27, (KUNA): A Kuwaiti specialist in electronic systems and social polls, Salah Al-Jassem, has carried out a survey of voters with the aim of examining their views in the nominees and women’s chances of winning. Al-Jassem said in remarks to KUNA that had carried out three electronic polls on the voters’ orientations and their comments on the performance of the dissolved parliament. The expert said he conducted the first poll in 1996, where he tried to sense chances of the women to win a seat in the parliament, particularly in the first and third circuits. He opines that the Kuwaiti women have gradually improved their chances of occupying seats in the National Assembly, and expressed his belief that some female candidates will garner enough votes to realize this objective in the upcoming polls.
Al-Jassem, who in the past elections made anticipations as to the would-be winners in the polls, said popularity of some of the nominees jostling for seats in the current run-up campaign has apparently waned. On the mechanisms of his work, he said conducting the poll is not an easy work and indicated at some major obstacles such as having access to some segments of the society namely the elderly. Asked whether the anticipations had proven accurate, he said they had been accurate in the 2003 and 2006 elections, but in the 1999 polling process, they were not in two districts “due to some unexpected factors at the time.” He also hints that the calculations prove inaccurate in vote-buying cases.
Improvement
Meanwhile, fourth constituency candidate Saad Al-Khanfour called for improvement of public services, especially employment. During a seminar titled “Kuwait’s Future is Everybody’s Responsibility”, which took place in Sabah Al-Nasser area last night, Al-Khanfour reiterated the need to double efforts so as to improve healthcare, educational and security services. Al-Khanfour voiced bewilderment over the health ministry for not building new hospitals in al-Jahra and al-Farwaniya governorates in almost 25 years. He also talked about large numbers of Kuwaiti students studying abroad due to small number of universities in Kuwait, proposing that branches of accredited universities should be opened here.
As for employment, Al-Khanfour called for solving such problem, especially for high school graduates and under.
Calling for cooperation between the legislative and executive branches in the upcoming period, Al-Khanfour rooted for the drop of loan interests. The fourth constituency groups 99,882 votes distributed over 19 residential areas. In the meantime, candidate for the Fourth Constituency Mubarak Al-Khrainij called voters to elect the candidate that would serve Kuwait the best, and stressed the importance of countering and refraining from adding to political tension. The remarks were made as Al-Khrainij kicked off his parliamentary campaign Sunday night. Kuwaitis are expecting actions, he said, not empty slogans, stressing the importance of achieving development and fighting corruption in every form.
KUWAIT, April 27, (KUNA): A Kuwaiti specialist in electronic systems and social polls, Salah Al-Jassem, has carried out a survey of voters with the aim of examining their views in the nominees and women’s chances of winning. Al-Jassem said in remarks to KUNA that had carried out three electronic polls on the voters’ orientations and their comments on the performance of the dissolved parliament. The expert said he conducted the first poll in 1996, where he tried to sense chances of the women to win a seat in the parliament, particularly in the first and third circuits. He opines that the Kuwaiti women have gradually improved their chances of occupying seats in the National Assembly, and expressed his belief that some female candidates will garner enough votes to realize this objective in the upcoming polls.
Al-Jassem, who in the past elections made anticipations as to the would-be winners in the polls, said popularity of some of the nominees jostling for seats in the current run-up campaign has apparently waned. On the mechanisms of his work, he said conducting the poll is not an easy work and indicated at some major obstacles such as having access to some segments of the society namely the elderly. Asked whether the anticipations had proven accurate, he said they had been accurate in the 2003 and 2006 elections, but in the 1999 polling process, they were not in two districts “due to some unexpected factors at the time.” He also hints that the calculations prove inaccurate in vote-buying cases.
Improvement
Meanwhile, fourth constituency candidate Saad Al-Khanfour called for improvement of public services, especially employment. During a seminar titled “Kuwait’s Future is Everybody’s Responsibility”, which took place in Sabah Al-Nasser area last night, Al-Khanfour reiterated the need to double efforts so as to improve healthcare, educational and security services. Al-Khanfour voiced bewilderment over the health ministry for not building new hospitals in al-Jahra and al-Farwaniya governorates in almost 25 years. He also talked about large numbers of Kuwaiti students studying abroad due to small number of universities in Kuwait, proposing that branches of accredited universities should be opened here.
As for employment, Al-Khanfour called for solving such problem, especially for high school graduates and under.
Calling for cooperation between the legislative and executive branches in the upcoming period, Al-Khanfour rooted for the drop of loan interests. The fourth constituency groups 99,882 votes distributed over 19 residential areas. In the meantime, candidate for the Fourth Constituency Mubarak Al-Khrainij called voters to elect the candidate that would serve Kuwait the best, and stressed the importance of countering and refraining from adding to political tension. The remarks were made as Al-Khrainij kicked off his parliamentary campaign Sunday night. Kuwaitis are expecting actions, he said, not empty slogans, stressing the importance of achieving development and fighting corruption in every form.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Mauritania: Repression of peaceful protests in Mauritania
Amnesty International
23 April 2009
The Mauritanian authorities have violently cracked down on two peaceful demonstrations this month.
In April 2009, two demonstrations attended by political parties and members of civil society were violently repressed. The demonstrators wanted to stage a peaceful protest against the electoral timetable imposed by the authorities who took power in the wake of the military coup of August 2008. The coup leaders overthrew the Mauritanian government, in office since the multi-party presidential elections of March 2007.
On 19 April, the police had used force to disperse a group of women who tried to organise a sit-in in front of the United Nations headquarters in Nouakchott. Many women, including former ministers, members of parliament and human rights defenders, were kicked or beaten with batons and belts.
One of the victims of this repression, Mme Nebghouha Mint Mohamed Vall, former Education Minister, told Amnesty International: "I was hit by police officers. I lost my veil and when my daughter tried to retrieve it she, too, was beaten."
Another demonstrator, Chicha Mint Benna, daughter of Mohamed El Hafedh Ould Denna, president of the opposition Mauritanian Labour Party, fell unconscious after being beaten and had to be hospitalised.
Two weeks earlier, on 2 April, the police violently repressed a demonstration organised by the Coordination of Democratic Forces (a coalition formed by the opposition party, the National Front for the Defence of Democracy (FNDD), trade union federations, human rights and civil society organizations). The demonstrators were protesting against the decision to organise a presidential election on 6 June 2009, which they saw as an attempt to legitimise last year's military coup.
One human rights defender, Boubacar Messaoud, president of the non governmental organisation, SOS Slaves, was beaten up by police at the demonstration. He told Amnesty International: "They beat me on the back with batons and carried on until I lost consciousness. The doctor who examined me later said that the blow to my neck could have killed me".
Several members of parliament, including Kobade Ould Cheick and Mohamed Moustapha Ould Bedredine, identifiable by their official sashes, were also beaten and the police fired teargas at them.
Amnesty International has called on the Mauritanian authorities to respect the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, without the use of violence.
23 April 2009
The Mauritanian authorities have violently cracked down on two peaceful demonstrations this month.
In April 2009, two demonstrations attended by political parties and members of civil society were violently repressed. The demonstrators wanted to stage a peaceful protest against the electoral timetable imposed by the authorities who took power in the wake of the military coup of August 2008. The coup leaders overthrew the Mauritanian government, in office since the multi-party presidential elections of March 2007.
On 19 April, the police had used force to disperse a group of women who tried to organise a sit-in in front of the United Nations headquarters in Nouakchott. Many women, including former ministers, members of parliament and human rights defenders, were kicked or beaten with batons and belts.
One of the victims of this repression, Mme Nebghouha Mint Mohamed Vall, former Education Minister, told Amnesty International: "I was hit by police officers. I lost my veil and when my daughter tried to retrieve it she, too, was beaten."
Another demonstrator, Chicha Mint Benna, daughter of Mohamed El Hafedh Ould Denna, president of the opposition Mauritanian Labour Party, fell unconscious after being beaten and had to be hospitalised.
Two weeks earlier, on 2 April, the police violently repressed a demonstration organised by the Coordination of Democratic Forces (a coalition formed by the opposition party, the National Front for the Defence of Democracy (FNDD), trade union federations, human rights and civil society organizations). The demonstrators were protesting against the decision to organise a presidential election on 6 June 2009, which they saw as an attempt to legitimise last year's military coup.
One human rights defender, Boubacar Messaoud, president of the non governmental organisation, SOS Slaves, was beaten up by police at the demonstration. He told Amnesty International: "They beat me on the back with batons and carried on until I lost consciousness. The doctor who examined me later said that the blow to my neck could have killed me".
Several members of parliament, including Kobade Ould Cheick and Mohamed Moustapha Ould Bedredine, identifiable by their official sashes, were also beaten and the police fired teargas at them.
Amnesty International has called on the Mauritanian authorities to respect the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, without the use of violence.
Kuwait: Polls could mark major turning point
Gulfnews
By Duraid Al Baik, Associate Editor
Published: April 27, 2009, 23:16
Dubai: Analysts observed four major changes in the public arena in the 2009 parliament election campaign; two being quite serious which could lead to a dramatic change in the future of democracy in the GCC state.
First, the tone of criticism against the government in the upcoming election is intensified because of pressure to contain the impact of the international financial crisis.
"The tone of disagreement is being heard especially loud during the current electorate campaign, whereas before the Emir and members of the royal family enjoyed more criticism free status," Ali Al Baghli, an ex-minister and writer highlighted. He also added that respect for national figures has slowly been eroding and says that such practices should not be allowed to flourish under the umbrella of democracy.
The defragmentation of a very strong Islamic opposition which used to stand against liberal forces in Kuwait and the rise of tribalism are additional variables in the May election.
"The tribal forces that used to be weaker and very much depending on the support of the government in the previous elections are getting much stronger in this year's election with signs of not only getting more independent from the government but becoming an emerging threat to the government itself," Hamad Al Mutairi of Al Mutair tribe told Gulf News.
According to Al Mutair, tribal politicians have become very powerful and are using grassroots techniques to promote themselves.
He said they now use new methods like posters, SMS, and candlelit sit-ins.
Of striking significance are women candidates from four main tribes calling for public gatherings and speaking in public, Al Mutair pointed out.
He believes that the number of registered candidates for the 2009 election of 283 including 34 women will decline in the coming few days because candidates who registered in the campaign for tactical reason will withdraw before the scheduled election on May 16.
"Women who obtained the right to run for the parliament in the 2008 election and failed to reach the house in the previous election might get closer or even succeed in this year with three of them getting more sophisticated in managing election campaigns," he said.
Aseel Al Awadi, Rola Dashti and Massouma Al Mubarak, are among the 34 women candidates running for the parliament. They are becoming extremely sophisticated in managing their campaigns by focusing on the key issues considered important for people in their constituencies.
"Women participation in this campaign is no longer ceremonial and I expect one or two of them to succeed in their efforts and reach the parliament for the first time in the history of the state," he said
He said women like Engineer Naima Al Hai, a candidate for the third constituency, is challenging the Islamists by running emphasising her right to represent the electorate of her constituency without wearing the headscarf.
Referring to an incident in the previous parliament where Islamist MP's requested a woman minister to wear hijab while in the parliament, Al Hai said, "if they [Islamists] ask me to wear hijab I would ask them to grow a beard, shave their moustache and wear an above the ankle garment like instructed by the Sunna of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)".
The fourth variable in this election is the rise of televised media. Five satellite channels have been launched by different groups to convey the views of the candidates to people in their constituencies. Al Sisy said Al Shahid (the witness), Al Rai (the opinion), Al Majlis (the gathering hall), Al Adala (The Justice) and Scoop, have assigned a minimum of 12 hours of their programmes to cover electoral activities. "There is no more dependence on official media and how much the time it could offer to each and every candidate," he said.
By Duraid Al Baik, Associate Editor
Published: April 27, 2009, 23:16
Dubai: Analysts observed four major changes in the public arena in the 2009 parliament election campaign; two being quite serious which could lead to a dramatic change in the future of democracy in the GCC state.
First, the tone of criticism against the government in the upcoming election is intensified because of pressure to contain the impact of the international financial crisis.
"The tone of disagreement is being heard especially loud during the current electorate campaign, whereas before the Emir and members of the royal family enjoyed more criticism free status," Ali Al Baghli, an ex-minister and writer highlighted. He also added that respect for national figures has slowly been eroding and says that such practices should not be allowed to flourish under the umbrella of democracy.
The defragmentation of a very strong Islamic opposition which used to stand against liberal forces in Kuwait and the rise of tribalism are additional variables in the May election.
"The tribal forces that used to be weaker and very much depending on the support of the government in the previous elections are getting much stronger in this year's election with signs of not only getting more independent from the government but becoming an emerging threat to the government itself," Hamad Al Mutairi of Al Mutair tribe told Gulf News.
According to Al Mutair, tribal politicians have become very powerful and are using grassroots techniques to promote themselves.
He said they now use new methods like posters, SMS, and candlelit sit-ins.
Of striking significance are women candidates from four main tribes calling for public gatherings and speaking in public, Al Mutair pointed out.
He believes that the number of registered candidates for the 2009 election of 283 including 34 women will decline in the coming few days because candidates who registered in the campaign for tactical reason will withdraw before the scheduled election on May 16.
"Women who obtained the right to run for the parliament in the 2008 election and failed to reach the house in the previous election might get closer or even succeed in this year with three of them getting more sophisticated in managing election campaigns," he said.
Aseel Al Awadi, Rola Dashti and Massouma Al Mubarak, are among the 34 women candidates running for the parliament. They are becoming extremely sophisticated in managing their campaigns by focusing on the key issues considered important for people in their constituencies.
"Women participation in this campaign is no longer ceremonial and I expect one or two of them to succeed in their efforts and reach the parliament for the first time in the history of the state," he said
He said women like Engineer Naima Al Hai, a candidate for the third constituency, is challenging the Islamists by running emphasising her right to represent the electorate of her constituency without wearing the headscarf.
Referring to an incident in the previous parliament where Islamist MP's requested a woman minister to wear hijab while in the parliament, Al Hai said, "if they [Islamists] ask me to wear hijab I would ask them to grow a beard, shave their moustache and wear an above the ankle garment like instructed by the Sunna of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)".
The fourth variable in this election is the rise of televised media. Five satellite channels have been launched by different groups to convey the views of the candidates to people in their constituencies. Al Sisy said Al Shahid (the witness), Al Rai (the opinion), Al Majlis (the gathering hall), Al Adala (The Justice) and Scoop, have assigned a minimum of 12 hours of their programmes to cover electoral activities. "There is no more dependence on official media and how much the time it could offer to each and every candidate," he said.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
UAE: Al-Khaleej Studies Center Panel on Women's Organizations
In April 2009, Al-Khaleej Studies Center organized a panel on the reality of women organizations in the UAE and ways to increase their effectiveness and outreach to all society sectors especially youth, to channel their interests towards volunteerism and more civic activism. The panel was chaired by our own Dr. Fatema Al Sayegh and included opinions of several UAE women leaders and activists. Participants in the panel included:
Ahlam Al Lamki, GWU
Amal Belhoul, Psychologist, ‘Watani’ program. (Watani means my country)
Amira Tariam, Editor of Kul Al Usra magazine
Halima Shikshik, RAK Women Organization
Moza Al Taghi, RAK Women Organization
Dr. Hessa Lootah, Professor, UAE University
Sarah bin Karam, Head of Sharjah Women Organziation
Salma Al Junaibi, GWU
Afra Al Mansouri, Head of Family Development Foundation, Shahama
Fatima Al Qubeisi, Family Development Foundation, Al Wathba
Sheikha Majd Saud Al Qassimi, Deputy Director of Sharjah Women Union
The session concluded with the following recommendations:
- Allocate a political seat that represents women organizations that would rotate every 2 or 4 years
- The importance of spreading a culture of social work and increase contact with youth
- Focus on studies and statistics that identify flaws in the work of the organizations as well as proper mechanisms to address these flaws.
- Strengthen relationships between different organizations and create a real partnership between civil society and non-profit organizations
- One women union that would be the umbrella of all women organizations in the country
- More media attention to the role and activities of women organizations
Ahlam Al Lamki, GWU
Amal Belhoul, Psychologist, ‘Watani’ program. (Watani means my country)
Amira Tariam, Editor of Kul Al Usra magazine
Halima Shikshik, RAK Women Organization
Moza Al Taghi, RAK Women Organization
Dr. Hessa Lootah, Professor, UAE University
Sarah bin Karam, Head of Sharjah Women Organziation
Salma Al Junaibi, GWU
Afra Al Mansouri, Head of Family Development Foundation, Shahama
Fatima Al Qubeisi, Family Development Foundation, Al Wathba
Sheikha Majd Saud Al Qassimi, Deputy Director of Sharjah Women Union
The session concluded with the following recommendations:
- Allocate a political seat that represents women organizations that would rotate every 2 or 4 years
- The importance of spreading a culture of social work and increase contact with youth
- Focus on studies and statistics that identify flaws in the work of the organizations as well as proper mechanisms to address these flaws.
- Strengthen relationships between different organizations and create a real partnership between civil society and non-profit organizations
- One women union that would be the umbrella of all women organizations in the country
- More media attention to the role and activities of women organizations
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jordan: Latouf highlights importance of women’s empowerment
AMMAN (Petra) - Minister of Social Development Hala Latouf on Tuesday inaugurated a workshop on empowering women leaders in the Middle East. She highlighted Jordan’s programmes to empower women, noting that national strategies need to encourage women’s contributions in different economic activities. Organised by the US-based NGO Seeds of Peace, the workshop aimed at creating a suitable environment to help increase women's participation in political life.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Yemen: Promoting Yemeni Women’s Political Participation through Media Tools
MEPI
Yemeni women have been successful in removing many legal obstacles to their political advancement. However, they still have a long way to go in terms of overcoming social barriers that pose a serious challenge to their integration in the public sphere. Moreover, gender stereotyping often undermines women’s capacity to lead by misrepresenting their genuine talents and aptitudes. In Yemen, the burden often lies on civic groups to collaborate and deliver information that breaks down cultural biases against women and eradicates discriminatory practices. One such group in Yemen, the Awam Development and Cultural Institution, a non-governmental not-for-profit organization, organized a media awareness campaign, supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants program. The project used audio and audiovisual tools to alleviate misguided perceptions on women and encourage their representation in upcoming parliamentary elections.
“This project is for the sake of women in a society that believes in women as effective participants in political decision making”, Thoraya Dimaj, Executive Director of Awam, commented to local press. As part of the MEPI-funded project, Awam partnered with a local TV production company to produce a documentary film on Yemeni women’s achievements in various fields, and a comedy sketch portraying socio-cultural factors that block women’s political advancement. In addition, Awam invited Sanaa University students to participate in a contest to produce an original script for a 30-second public service announcement (PSA). The script delivered a message of awareness and urge for change and action to eliminate social inequality and raise women’s status in the political field. Out of 60 PSA scripts, eight were chosen to have the most compelling messages, out of which one was awarded to a female student for producing the greatest script.
“The importance of announcing the women’s political empowerment script winner is that it will encourage the delivery of a media awareness message that targets all sectors of society through various media tools”, commented Ms. Dimaj. She added that the winning script will be broadcast on local radio stations, and the other scripts will be edited and also broadcast. The documentary on women’s achievements is expected to be completed in May 2009.
Activities of this MEPI lcoal grant project were covered extensively in Yemeni local press including 14October, SabaNews, and Mareb Press.
Yemeni women have been successful in removing many legal obstacles to their political advancement. However, they still have a long way to go in terms of overcoming social barriers that pose a serious challenge to their integration in the public sphere. Moreover, gender stereotyping often undermines women’s capacity to lead by misrepresenting their genuine talents and aptitudes. In Yemen, the burden often lies on civic groups to collaborate and deliver information that breaks down cultural biases against women and eradicates discriminatory practices. One such group in Yemen, the Awam Development and Cultural Institution, a non-governmental not-for-profit organization, organized a media awareness campaign, supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants program. The project used audio and audiovisual tools to alleviate misguided perceptions on women and encourage their representation in upcoming parliamentary elections.
“This project is for the sake of women in a society that believes in women as effective participants in political decision making”, Thoraya Dimaj, Executive Director of Awam, commented to local press. As part of the MEPI-funded project, Awam partnered with a local TV production company to produce a documentary film on Yemeni women’s achievements in various fields, and a comedy sketch portraying socio-cultural factors that block women’s political advancement. In addition, Awam invited Sanaa University students to participate in a contest to produce an original script for a 30-second public service announcement (PSA). The script delivered a message of awareness and urge for change and action to eliminate social inequality and raise women’s status in the political field. Out of 60 PSA scripts, eight were chosen to have the most compelling messages, out of which one was awarded to a female student for producing the greatest script.
“The importance of announcing the women’s political empowerment script winner is that it will encourage the delivery of a media awareness message that targets all sectors of society through various media tools”, commented Ms. Dimaj. She added that the winning script will be broadcast on local radio stations, and the other scripts will be edited and also broadcast. The documentary on women’s achievements is expected to be completed in May 2009.
Activities of this MEPI lcoal grant project were covered extensively in Yemeni local press including 14October, SabaNews, and Mareb Press.
Kuwait: Apathy vs hope
Kuwait Times
Published Date: April 15, 2009
By Rawan Khalid, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Kuwait's elections will be held on May 16, but not many Kuwaitis seem that enthusiastic about them. While a few point out specific issues like women's progress or the rights of bedoons, most seem certain that the polls will bring little change to Kuwait.
Fares K is a supporter of a hands-on policy that hasn't been seen. The 28-year-old said, "What a candidate says during his electoral campaign should be done because what he said is like a promise to Kuwaitis. As we see during every election, candidates say what they want and we put our hopes in them and that they will change the reality in Kuwait. I am sorry for saying this, but nothing has changed.
Kuwait's young generation doesn't want to even think about the elections and they don't care about what is happening in Parliament. Twenty-four-year old Muna A is apathetic. "I am not interested in knowing about the elections and about who won or who lost, because I think the elections are all about wasta.
Another citizen was more critical as he related the many problems in the country to Parliament. "The National Assembly is the main problem in hampering the development in the country. Take the economic crisis for example. I heard that there is KD 2 million spent on the elections when the country needs this money," she argued.
Ahmed is disillusioned about the elections, too. "At the end of the day, elections mean nothing to me because it is the same every year. There are a lot of people who don't deserve to be in Parliament," he noted. On the other hand, there are many young Kuwaitis who are interested in voting for certain candidates but are overall less interested in the elections and Parliament.
A student at Kuwait University, 22-year-old May M, sees women as the key to progress. "I am with Aseel Al-Awadhi and I hope she wins because she deserves to. In my opinion, she has the key for changing the reality in Kuwait," she said.
We want someone who will do what he said in his electoral campaign, like [Mohammad] Al-Hayef [Al-Mutairi] who removed all the old 'musala' from the streets. I am a supporter of Al-Hayef," said 24-year-old Bader A.
Another, albeit minor issue of concern to voters, it turns out, are calls demanding rights for the stateless (bedoon). Granting bedoons Kuwaiti nationality and treating them like Kuwaitis is an issue that some see as key.
Umm Mohammad, a bedoon mother of three, has hope that one day her children will be citizens. "I hope all the candidates who promise the [Kuwaiti] nationality to the bedoon win because they will change our lives. I can't even let my children study in school now," she pointed out.
Published Date: April 15, 2009
By Rawan Khalid, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Kuwait's elections will be held on May 16, but not many Kuwaitis seem that enthusiastic about them. While a few point out specific issues like women's progress or the rights of bedoons, most seem certain that the polls will bring little change to Kuwait.
Fares K is a supporter of a hands-on policy that hasn't been seen. The 28-year-old said, "What a candidate says during his electoral campaign should be done because what he said is like a promise to Kuwaitis. As we see during every election, candidates say what they want and we put our hopes in them and that they will change the reality in Kuwait. I am sorry for saying this, but nothing has changed.
Kuwait's young generation doesn't want to even think about the elections and they don't care about what is happening in Parliament. Twenty-four-year old Muna A is apathetic. "I am not interested in knowing about the elections and about who won or who lost, because I think the elections are all about wasta.
Another citizen was more critical as he related the many problems in the country to Parliament. "The National Assembly is the main problem in hampering the development in the country. Take the economic crisis for example. I heard that there is KD 2 million spent on the elections when the country needs this money," she argued.
Ahmed is disillusioned about the elections, too. "At the end of the day, elections mean nothing to me because it is the same every year. There are a lot of people who don't deserve to be in Parliament," he noted. On the other hand, there are many young Kuwaitis who are interested in voting for certain candidates but are overall less interested in the elections and Parliament.
A student at Kuwait University, 22-year-old May M, sees women as the key to progress. "I am with Aseel Al-Awadhi and I hope she wins because she deserves to. In my opinion, she has the key for changing the reality in Kuwait," she said.
We want someone who will do what he said in his electoral campaign, like [Mohammad] Al-Hayef [Al-Mutairi] who removed all the old 'musala' from the streets. I am a supporter of Al-Hayef," said 24-year-old Bader A.
Another, albeit minor issue of concern to voters, it turns out, are calls demanding rights for the stateless (bedoon). Granting bedoons Kuwaiti nationality and treating them like Kuwaitis is an issue that some see as key.
Umm Mohammad, a bedoon mother of three, has hope that one day her children will be citizens. "I hope all the candidates who promise the [Kuwaiti] nationality to the bedoon win because they will change our lives. I can't even let my children study in school now," she pointed out.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Kuwait: Kuwaiti electors to blame for political gridlock; Little attention paid to female voters
I’m endeavoring to revive people’s sense of duty towards their country, said Dr Salwa Al-Jassar, an aspiring candidate in the coming legislative elections. She was speaking to the Arab Times in an interview in which she shared her vision and her opinions on the current political conditions in Kuwait. She also touched upon some of the findings of the UNDP studies that she took part in as a member of the organization’s Kuwait chapter.
Q: How do you see the future of Kuwaiti women in the local political scene?
A: I was appointed as a councilor for a very thorough and extended study by UNDP, Kuwait branch, aiming to review and analyze Kuwaiti women’s participation in 2008 elections. The study was conducted over six months and data was gathered using a number of techniques. It also included the opinions of a number of female candidates who participated in the previous elections.
The conclusions reached by the study, although not yet publicized, are a very positive indication of the opportunities Kuwaiti women have in Kuwait’s politics. Opinions and statistics gathered and scrutinized in the study clearly indicate an increase in awareness of women’s rights, and a general acceptance of women’s capabilities by the society.
Q: What are the major lessons you’ve learned from your participation in the legislative elections last year?
A: To start with, my experience as a candidate in 2008 elections has added so much to me as a person and broadened my understanding of my own capabilities, especially in my career as an instructor and professor in Kuwait University, as well as a researcher. Being a legislative candidate, I learnt so much about myself and my own country and community. This experience has enabled me to define myself as a person, as well as define my stand as a women’s rights activist and a person who is associated with many NGOs.
In 2006, I was not encouraged to participate in the then legislative elections despite the support I got from my family and numerous other people due to the aggressive and hostile atmosphere created against women who were exercising their newly-granted political rights for the first time. So, I did not capitalize on that opportunity as the challenges were very big.
However, I closely observed the travails of Kuwaiti women as they went to the polls and ran for elections. I also made a comparison between Kuwait and other Arab nations that undertook similar experiments with democracy such as Tunisia and Morocco among others. I was devastated to discover that no analytical studies were conducted by state-run institutions or NGOs in Kuwait. There were some positive initiatives undertaken to evaluate the experience of Kuwaiti women who went to the polls for the first time in the state’s history. Very little attention was given to the 2006 elections and especially women’s participation in it by the media.
Through my own research and studies, I learnt that Kuwait fell behind other nations in the political arena. Women in countries granting them political rights have always enjoyed a comprehensive support from activists, media, NGOs and governments who collaborate with one another to give more meaning to democracy. Meanwhile, in Kuwait, this experience went unnoticed and the period between 2006 elections and now wasn’t properly used even by female candidates who took part in the race to Parliament in 2006.
My last experience in the elections of 2008 also gave me a very good idea of what approach to take with electors. I have come to understand that when addressing electors one must condescend to grassroots levels and not approach them from ivory towers. I’ve also learned to present practical solutions to the problems rather than attacking the government to gain voters’ support. I believe Kuwait’s citizens are sick and tired of hearing clichés which candidates keep repeating over and over again without solving anything.
Q: How do you look at your failed bid for the parliament in 2008?
A: It was a definite success for me at all levels. It’s true I did not make it to the parliament, yet the number of votes I gained was a clear indication of the success I achieved, bearing in mind that the second constituency where I’m running is one of the biggest constituencies. It is also a constituency where veteran politicians and expert parliamentarians compete and therefore the competition is very tough. Furthermore, the second constituency is also known for widespread corruption and vote buying. Therefore, it is quite a challenge for a new candidate to make it through to the parliament from this constituency, regardless of the gender.
I also believe my experience rebuffs allegations that Kuwaiti women do not support other women: 1800 of the votes I received were from women, proving such allegations are baseless.
Q: You have mentioned that you compared women’s political experience in Kuwait with that of women in other countries in the world. Could you highlight the similarities and differences you spotted?
A: I realized that the world over there is a general prejudice against women entering politics, and it is not confined to Kuwait or the Middle East. In fact, such concerns are there in the developed world as well. It is a globally widespread notion that women are incompetent to hold powerful posts and are incapable of handling political pressures due to their emotional configuration and abilities.
Of course such beliefs in Kuwait are more dominant, as Kuwaiti community is strongly affected by a code of conservative traditions and principles which feed the false mindsets. People think that women lack leadership qualities or abilities to take decisions. Women are thought of as being incapable of handling pressures. Sadly, it is not only the men who carry these misconceptions, but women too.
Q: What were the most important factors you took into consideration when you took the decision of running for the elections in 2008 and 2009?
A: A very serious step such as running in the legislative election could have never been made randomly. It required a lot of preparation and research. It was very essential for me that I get my family’s support prior to announcing my candidacy. As you know, we are part of the Kuwaiti community with all its traditions and conservativeness and it would have been rather awkward for me to go through such a move knowing my family is not by my side.
Gratefully, I had my family’s support from the very beginning. They showed their trust and faith in my abilities and in me. This support boosted my confidence to go ahead with what I promised the electors about focusing on the needs and requirements of the Kuwaiti families and rejuvenating values of solidarity.
Q: As both an elector and a candidate, did you come across practices that you have not agreed with, especially by other candidates?
A: Yes … once I received a phone call from a woman who tried persuading me to vote for a certain male candidate. The funny thing was that the caller kept mispronouncing the candidate’s name which provoked me to ask if she has ever met him. Obviously the answer was no, and she explained that she, along with a whole team of women were appointed to make such phone calls to female voters. She knew nothing about this candidates’ character or identity!! I believe such a candidate, who fails to prepare and train those campaigning for him has no respect for the voters.
One more thing I noticed is that candidates pay very little attention to female voters when publishing huge ads in local papers. A candidate’s ad can fill up a page or a large part of it to announce the holding of a symposium, but only a very small, hardly visible line in the ad will be addressing the female readers. I see such a gesture as blatant lack of concern for female electors who make up more than half of Kuwait’s illegible voters.
On the other hand, female candidates go to extreme levels to reach male electors and gain their support on their electoral agenda. I’d say this is due to lack of awareness and because politics has been a male’s bastion for too long.
I bet that majority of Kuwait’s eligible female voters are graduates from universities, yet they rely on their male relatives or companions when deciding whom to vote for.
Q: How do you regard the fact that highly educated women fail to make their own political choices?
A: The idea is really scary! It really scares me to know that our education brings up citizens who lack a sense of national duty and who do not understand their responsibilities as Kuwaiti citizens. It is a dangerous realization that a hundred thousand female voters choose to sell off their votes, or support illegal primaries, or submit to political pressures of some kind or even abet in malpractices. The increase in election malfeasance only hints at a gross disrespect for democratic values.
Q: Reaching the parliament is of course the goal of every legislative candidate, but do you have other goals as well?
A: When I decided to run for the 2008 elections, I had already known that my chances of winning were very slim...may be only one percent. Nevertheless, I had other goals in mind.… I wanted to present a positive example of a Kuwaiti woman contributing to the Kuwaiti political scene and I’m proud to say that I succeeded in that regard. It’s because of this success that all those who work in my campaigns are volunteers who believe in who I am.
I made it a point to be available in my electoral headquarters every day since the previous elections in order to get in touch with voters in my constituency. I also made it a point to meet with volunteers working on my campaign, talk to them regularly, and train them to properly endorse the candidate whom they’re promoting without offending or undermining the voter’s sensibilities.
Q: How about your electoral agenda? Will your priorities for this year change from that of last year?
A: I do not promote a certain program, but I do have a vision. I don’t believe a candidate should have a certain agenda but should be open to tackling all problems. However, I will focus on four major issues starting with education — I believe the solution to all problems lies in an ideal educational system. The second issue is regarding the Kuwaiti youth who I feel are not properly cared for. There is a lot to be done to provide job opportunities and supporting outstanding students and talents.
The third concern of mine is Kuwaiti women. I am not worried about their education, access to health services, or job opportunities, because Kuwaiti women are doing well in all these areas. However, there are major obstacles hindering optimum benefits for women’s capabilities, most important of which is the traditional mindset which still dominates the Kuwaiti society of both genders. It is quite disappointing that Kuwait, which once pioneered GCC states in women’s rights, constitution, democracy and laws, has now fallen behind all other countries, which have paved the way for women to work as judges, or hold more ministerial portfolios or other leading posts.
Q: So far you’ve mentioned education, Kuwaiti youth and Kuwaiti women as three of the four main concerns of yours as a candidate. What is the fourth matter of interest in your electoral campaign?
A: Yes.… the final concern is very important. It is to do with the proper understanding of citizenship and national identity...the deficiency of this is the core cause of the political dilemma that Kuwait is grappling with for many years now. General conditions in the country have created mistrust among the people for the regime and the political system.
So they’re choosing to withdraw from contributing to the community.
Although I hold citizens responsible for this seemingly unending political gridlock, I feel the real cause of it is the Kuwaiti families, which are not doing enough to raise good citizens. Our generation was brought up the classical way, and that’s why we ended up as active and responsible individuals who are keen to contribute to our society. It is essential to raise awareness on the importance of the role of families in inculcating good habits in the children.
Further, Kuwait witnessed a sudden and dramatic financial boom which wasn’t synchronized by a full and correct understanding of urbanization, which, naturally, led to the mishandling of these modern facilities. Kuwaitis, with abundant wealth, have become crassly consumerist and search for the easy options in all walks of life at the cost of real values.
Sadly, studies have proved that Kuwait is amongst the world’s top ten countries whose citizens contribute the least to national development compared to their high monthly wages. This is a national threat. Such an attitude towards life leads to a very negative impact on citizens’ actions in all aspects of life, including politic. This means that legislative candidates who promise benefits for individuals are only seeking to win elections, and not for national welfare.
Thereby, I will focus on reviving values and principles amongst Kuwaitis and stoke their will to build their own nation and move forward rather than believing in shortcuts.
Q: HH the Amir had repeatedly and in vain cautioned former parliamentarians on malpractices, stating that he will not hesitate to take any measure to safeguard Kuwait’s stability. Do you think the final Amiri speech given during the dissolution of the parliament will bring about the desired change in the behaviors of both aspiring candidates and electors?
A: It should.… It must and I hope the change will include the nation as a whole! The Amir’s speech was directed to everyone in the state, including citizens and institutions. I deem this a very historical speech, which was delivered at the appropriate moment because Kuwait is on the verge of a terrible future if this political impasse doesn’t come to an end.
We, as a nation, have encountered numerous crises which we have successfully handled. However, this is by far the worst Kuwait has encountered on the financial, social, cultural and political fronts.
Nonetheless, I’m sensing a change, especially with the availability of the unprecedented numbers of new TV channels and newspapers, which provide the space for citizens to express their opinions, particularly the segment of citizens who are silent and make up around 40 percent of the whole nation. This segment is not ignorant of what’s happening around them, but on the contrary, it is just looking for an opportunity to express its opinion. Thus far, this segment has expressed its dissatisfaction over the past parliaments. If this so called “silent segment” of Kuwait, which is capable of brining about huge changes, decides to act, I predict a major positive change will take place in Kuwait.
I believe this profusion of new media channels rang a wakeup call and alerted Kuwaitis as they exposed what was previously hidden, and also terminated the monopoly of certain individuals as information providers. I predict that a change of around 25 or 30 percent is coming up in the new parliament, although I’m not very optimistic because what we’re seeing now is the outcome of many negative factors that accumulated over the years and which will take as many years to clear.
Q: Kuwait has grappled with constant disputes between five governments and three parliaments during three years. Which authority is to be blamed for this? Or do you believe disputes among members of the ruling family have a hand in this?
A: To be honest with you, I find it extremely unnecessary to delve in such debates. I strongly believe those responsible for this gridlock are the Kuwaitis themselves... after all it’s their votes which made up these parliaments. The attitude of voters with respect to discharging their duties towards their nation is plagued by a defective thinking that surfaced following the Iraqi Invasion, which brought about a sea change in people’s ideas about nationalism, loyalty and national responsibilities.
Therefore, the Kuwaiti citizen no longer performs his duties out of loyalty for his country, but rather out of self interest. That’s why a citizen so easily violates any law if that could help him or her achieve the desired goal. Sadly, this approach has politicized the different blocs and alliances, and spread to include a large section of the Kuwaiti population. Therefore, lawmakers are not voted based on their competence, but based on personal favors and palm greasing.
The previous parliament convened only 12 times due to lack of quorum. Similarly, many committees held very limited meetings all through the legislative term. This in itself reflects the interests of former parliamentarians.
Q: So you don’t think the former governments are to be blamed for any of this?
A: Of course the executive authority bears a share of the blame too, but which government should we hold responsible? In three years, five different cabinets were appointed! The cabinet’s problem lay in the appointment of unfit ministers lacking leadership qualities, scientific knowledge, a will to reform, or a vision for development.
Q: Do you think merging premiership with the post of crown prince will put an end to this political stalemate?
A: It definitely will, yes. As per the country’s customs, crown princes don’t get grilled, and therefore this will check the efforts of those MPs who try to be a stumbling block in the way of any productive reforms brought about by the prime minister. It is important to mention that the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohamed, was a reformer. He was honest, diplomatic and a true statesman, and was unfortunately brought down by a minority seeking personal gains.
By Dahlia Kholaif
Arab Times Staff
Q: How do you see the future of Kuwaiti women in the local political scene?
A: I was appointed as a councilor for a very thorough and extended study by UNDP, Kuwait branch, aiming to review and analyze Kuwaiti women’s participation in 2008 elections. The study was conducted over six months and data was gathered using a number of techniques. It also included the opinions of a number of female candidates who participated in the previous elections.
The conclusions reached by the study, although not yet publicized, are a very positive indication of the opportunities Kuwaiti women have in Kuwait’s politics. Opinions and statistics gathered and scrutinized in the study clearly indicate an increase in awareness of women’s rights, and a general acceptance of women’s capabilities by the society.
Q: What are the major lessons you’ve learned from your participation in the legislative elections last year?
A: To start with, my experience as a candidate in 2008 elections has added so much to me as a person and broadened my understanding of my own capabilities, especially in my career as an instructor and professor in Kuwait University, as well as a researcher. Being a legislative candidate, I learnt so much about myself and my own country and community. This experience has enabled me to define myself as a person, as well as define my stand as a women’s rights activist and a person who is associated with many NGOs.
In 2006, I was not encouraged to participate in the then legislative elections despite the support I got from my family and numerous other people due to the aggressive and hostile atmosphere created against women who were exercising their newly-granted political rights for the first time. So, I did not capitalize on that opportunity as the challenges were very big.
However, I closely observed the travails of Kuwaiti women as they went to the polls and ran for elections. I also made a comparison between Kuwait and other Arab nations that undertook similar experiments with democracy such as Tunisia and Morocco among others. I was devastated to discover that no analytical studies were conducted by state-run institutions or NGOs in Kuwait. There were some positive initiatives undertaken to evaluate the experience of Kuwaiti women who went to the polls for the first time in the state’s history. Very little attention was given to the 2006 elections and especially women’s participation in it by the media.
Through my own research and studies, I learnt that Kuwait fell behind other nations in the political arena. Women in countries granting them political rights have always enjoyed a comprehensive support from activists, media, NGOs and governments who collaborate with one another to give more meaning to democracy. Meanwhile, in Kuwait, this experience went unnoticed and the period between 2006 elections and now wasn’t properly used even by female candidates who took part in the race to Parliament in 2006.
My last experience in the elections of 2008 also gave me a very good idea of what approach to take with electors. I have come to understand that when addressing electors one must condescend to grassroots levels and not approach them from ivory towers. I’ve also learned to present practical solutions to the problems rather than attacking the government to gain voters’ support. I believe Kuwait’s citizens are sick and tired of hearing clichés which candidates keep repeating over and over again without solving anything.
Q: How do you look at your failed bid for the parliament in 2008?
A: It was a definite success for me at all levels. It’s true I did not make it to the parliament, yet the number of votes I gained was a clear indication of the success I achieved, bearing in mind that the second constituency where I’m running is one of the biggest constituencies. It is also a constituency where veteran politicians and expert parliamentarians compete and therefore the competition is very tough. Furthermore, the second constituency is also known for widespread corruption and vote buying. Therefore, it is quite a challenge for a new candidate to make it through to the parliament from this constituency, regardless of the gender.
I also believe my experience rebuffs allegations that Kuwaiti women do not support other women: 1800 of the votes I received were from women, proving such allegations are baseless.
Q: You have mentioned that you compared women’s political experience in Kuwait with that of women in other countries in the world. Could you highlight the similarities and differences you spotted?
A: I realized that the world over there is a general prejudice against women entering politics, and it is not confined to Kuwait or the Middle East. In fact, such concerns are there in the developed world as well. It is a globally widespread notion that women are incompetent to hold powerful posts and are incapable of handling political pressures due to their emotional configuration and abilities.
Of course such beliefs in Kuwait are more dominant, as Kuwaiti community is strongly affected by a code of conservative traditions and principles which feed the false mindsets. People think that women lack leadership qualities or abilities to take decisions. Women are thought of as being incapable of handling pressures. Sadly, it is not only the men who carry these misconceptions, but women too.
Q: What were the most important factors you took into consideration when you took the decision of running for the elections in 2008 and 2009?
A: A very serious step such as running in the legislative election could have never been made randomly. It required a lot of preparation and research. It was very essential for me that I get my family’s support prior to announcing my candidacy. As you know, we are part of the Kuwaiti community with all its traditions and conservativeness and it would have been rather awkward for me to go through such a move knowing my family is not by my side.
Gratefully, I had my family’s support from the very beginning. They showed their trust and faith in my abilities and in me. This support boosted my confidence to go ahead with what I promised the electors about focusing on the needs and requirements of the Kuwaiti families and rejuvenating values of solidarity.
Q: As both an elector and a candidate, did you come across practices that you have not agreed with, especially by other candidates?
A: Yes … once I received a phone call from a woman who tried persuading me to vote for a certain male candidate. The funny thing was that the caller kept mispronouncing the candidate’s name which provoked me to ask if she has ever met him. Obviously the answer was no, and she explained that she, along with a whole team of women were appointed to make such phone calls to female voters. She knew nothing about this candidates’ character or identity!! I believe such a candidate, who fails to prepare and train those campaigning for him has no respect for the voters.
One more thing I noticed is that candidates pay very little attention to female voters when publishing huge ads in local papers. A candidate’s ad can fill up a page or a large part of it to announce the holding of a symposium, but only a very small, hardly visible line in the ad will be addressing the female readers. I see such a gesture as blatant lack of concern for female electors who make up more than half of Kuwait’s illegible voters.
On the other hand, female candidates go to extreme levels to reach male electors and gain their support on their electoral agenda. I’d say this is due to lack of awareness and because politics has been a male’s bastion for too long.
I bet that majority of Kuwait’s eligible female voters are graduates from universities, yet they rely on their male relatives or companions when deciding whom to vote for.
Q: How do you regard the fact that highly educated women fail to make their own political choices?
A: The idea is really scary! It really scares me to know that our education brings up citizens who lack a sense of national duty and who do not understand their responsibilities as Kuwaiti citizens. It is a dangerous realization that a hundred thousand female voters choose to sell off their votes, or support illegal primaries, or submit to political pressures of some kind or even abet in malpractices. The increase in election malfeasance only hints at a gross disrespect for democratic values.
Q: Reaching the parliament is of course the goal of every legislative candidate, but do you have other goals as well?
A: When I decided to run for the 2008 elections, I had already known that my chances of winning were very slim...may be only one percent. Nevertheless, I had other goals in mind.… I wanted to present a positive example of a Kuwaiti woman contributing to the Kuwaiti political scene and I’m proud to say that I succeeded in that regard. It’s because of this success that all those who work in my campaigns are volunteers who believe in who I am.
I made it a point to be available in my electoral headquarters every day since the previous elections in order to get in touch with voters in my constituency. I also made it a point to meet with volunteers working on my campaign, talk to them regularly, and train them to properly endorse the candidate whom they’re promoting without offending or undermining the voter’s sensibilities.
Q: How about your electoral agenda? Will your priorities for this year change from that of last year?
A: I do not promote a certain program, but I do have a vision. I don’t believe a candidate should have a certain agenda but should be open to tackling all problems. However, I will focus on four major issues starting with education — I believe the solution to all problems lies in an ideal educational system. The second issue is regarding the Kuwaiti youth who I feel are not properly cared for. There is a lot to be done to provide job opportunities and supporting outstanding students and talents.
The third concern of mine is Kuwaiti women. I am not worried about their education, access to health services, or job opportunities, because Kuwaiti women are doing well in all these areas. However, there are major obstacles hindering optimum benefits for women’s capabilities, most important of which is the traditional mindset which still dominates the Kuwaiti society of both genders. It is quite disappointing that Kuwait, which once pioneered GCC states in women’s rights, constitution, democracy and laws, has now fallen behind all other countries, which have paved the way for women to work as judges, or hold more ministerial portfolios or other leading posts.
Q: So far you’ve mentioned education, Kuwaiti youth and Kuwaiti women as three of the four main concerns of yours as a candidate. What is the fourth matter of interest in your electoral campaign?
A: Yes.… the final concern is very important. It is to do with the proper understanding of citizenship and national identity...the deficiency of this is the core cause of the political dilemma that Kuwait is grappling with for many years now. General conditions in the country have created mistrust among the people for the regime and the political system.
So they’re choosing to withdraw from contributing to the community.
Although I hold citizens responsible for this seemingly unending political gridlock, I feel the real cause of it is the Kuwaiti families, which are not doing enough to raise good citizens. Our generation was brought up the classical way, and that’s why we ended up as active and responsible individuals who are keen to contribute to our society. It is essential to raise awareness on the importance of the role of families in inculcating good habits in the children.
Further, Kuwait witnessed a sudden and dramatic financial boom which wasn’t synchronized by a full and correct understanding of urbanization, which, naturally, led to the mishandling of these modern facilities. Kuwaitis, with abundant wealth, have become crassly consumerist and search for the easy options in all walks of life at the cost of real values.
Sadly, studies have proved that Kuwait is amongst the world’s top ten countries whose citizens contribute the least to national development compared to their high monthly wages. This is a national threat. Such an attitude towards life leads to a very negative impact on citizens’ actions in all aspects of life, including politic. This means that legislative candidates who promise benefits for individuals are only seeking to win elections, and not for national welfare.
Thereby, I will focus on reviving values and principles amongst Kuwaitis and stoke their will to build their own nation and move forward rather than believing in shortcuts.
Q: HH the Amir had repeatedly and in vain cautioned former parliamentarians on malpractices, stating that he will not hesitate to take any measure to safeguard Kuwait’s stability. Do you think the final Amiri speech given during the dissolution of the parliament will bring about the desired change in the behaviors of both aspiring candidates and electors?
A: It should.… It must and I hope the change will include the nation as a whole! The Amir’s speech was directed to everyone in the state, including citizens and institutions. I deem this a very historical speech, which was delivered at the appropriate moment because Kuwait is on the verge of a terrible future if this political impasse doesn’t come to an end.
We, as a nation, have encountered numerous crises which we have successfully handled. However, this is by far the worst Kuwait has encountered on the financial, social, cultural and political fronts.
Nonetheless, I’m sensing a change, especially with the availability of the unprecedented numbers of new TV channels and newspapers, which provide the space for citizens to express their opinions, particularly the segment of citizens who are silent and make up around 40 percent of the whole nation. This segment is not ignorant of what’s happening around them, but on the contrary, it is just looking for an opportunity to express its opinion. Thus far, this segment has expressed its dissatisfaction over the past parliaments. If this so called “silent segment” of Kuwait, which is capable of brining about huge changes, decides to act, I predict a major positive change will take place in Kuwait.
I believe this profusion of new media channels rang a wakeup call and alerted Kuwaitis as they exposed what was previously hidden, and also terminated the monopoly of certain individuals as information providers. I predict that a change of around 25 or 30 percent is coming up in the new parliament, although I’m not very optimistic because what we’re seeing now is the outcome of many negative factors that accumulated over the years and which will take as many years to clear.
Q: Kuwait has grappled with constant disputes between five governments and three parliaments during three years. Which authority is to be blamed for this? Or do you believe disputes among members of the ruling family have a hand in this?
A: To be honest with you, I find it extremely unnecessary to delve in such debates. I strongly believe those responsible for this gridlock are the Kuwaitis themselves... after all it’s their votes which made up these parliaments. The attitude of voters with respect to discharging their duties towards their nation is plagued by a defective thinking that surfaced following the Iraqi Invasion, which brought about a sea change in people’s ideas about nationalism, loyalty and national responsibilities.
Therefore, the Kuwaiti citizen no longer performs his duties out of loyalty for his country, but rather out of self interest. That’s why a citizen so easily violates any law if that could help him or her achieve the desired goal. Sadly, this approach has politicized the different blocs and alliances, and spread to include a large section of the Kuwaiti population. Therefore, lawmakers are not voted based on their competence, but based on personal favors and palm greasing.
The previous parliament convened only 12 times due to lack of quorum. Similarly, many committees held very limited meetings all through the legislative term. This in itself reflects the interests of former parliamentarians.
Q: So you don’t think the former governments are to be blamed for any of this?
A: Of course the executive authority bears a share of the blame too, but which government should we hold responsible? In three years, five different cabinets were appointed! The cabinet’s problem lay in the appointment of unfit ministers lacking leadership qualities, scientific knowledge, a will to reform, or a vision for development.
Q: Do you think merging premiership with the post of crown prince will put an end to this political stalemate?
A: It definitely will, yes. As per the country’s customs, crown princes don’t get grilled, and therefore this will check the efforts of those MPs who try to be a stumbling block in the way of any productive reforms brought about by the prime minister. It is important to mention that the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohamed, was a reformer. He was honest, diplomatic and a true statesman, and was unfortunately brought down by a minority seeking personal gains.
By Dahlia Kholaif
Arab Times Staff
Iran: Women can run for president with ‘no legal restraint’
Mehr News
TEHRAN, Apr. 11 (MNA) -- Guardian Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei on Saturday stated that there is “no legal restraint” on the candidacy of women in the country’s presidential elections.
“The Guardian Council has never disqualified candidates only because they have been men or women,” he told reporters during his weekly press conference.
Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham had earlier said that according to the Constitution only men can run for president.
Kadkhodaei noted that there were women who submitted their names to the Guardian council in the past elections and the council disqualified them only because they lacked the general qualifications.
The comments come shortly after former Majlis MP Rafat Bayat on Friday told the Mehr News Agency that she intends to run in the upcoming presidential election.
She urged politicians, including men and women, to make an effort to change the views of the Guardian Council about its interpretation of the constitution with regard to the candidacy of women.
On May 20 the Guardian Council will release a shortlist of presidential candidates who can run in the June 12 presidential election.
TEHRAN, Apr. 11 (MNA) -- Guardian Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei on Saturday stated that there is “no legal restraint” on the candidacy of women in the country’s presidential elections.
“The Guardian Council has never disqualified candidates only because they have been men or women,” he told reporters during his weekly press conference.
Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham had earlier said that according to the Constitution only men can run for president.
Kadkhodaei noted that there were women who submitted their names to the Guardian council in the past elections and the council disqualified them only because they lacked the general qualifications.
The comments come shortly after former Majlis MP Rafat Bayat on Friday told the Mehr News Agency that she intends to run in the upcoming presidential election.
She urged politicians, including men and women, to make an effort to change the views of the Guardian Council about its interpretation of the constitution with regard to the candidacy of women.
On May 20 the Guardian Council will release a shortlist of presidential candidates who can run in the June 12 presidential election.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Middle East: Women in the Arab World
Middle East Times
By CARL GIBEILY Published: April 10, 2009
MANAMA -- Hoda Shaarawi should best be remembered for her role in founding Egypt's Feminist Union – the first such organization in the Arab region – and for fighting to establish a minimum marriage age for women, reform family law, restrict polygamy and promote the education of girls. And yet, among all her achievements, it is telling that contemporary Arab historians inevitably focus first on one bold, symbolic act at the central train station in Cairo. In the first week of March 1923, Shaarawi deliberately did the unthinkable: she removed her veil in public.
In some respects, the Arab region is the same place for women that it was 86 years ago. In the more conservative parts of the Arab region, most particularly Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive a car, sail a boat or fly a plane. They still cannot expose hair, wrists and ankles in public, or travel without the permission of a male relative: usually a father, husband or – in some ways more constraining for its role reversal – a son.
Saudi Arabia is not alone in segregating the sexes in many public settings, ranging from schools and universities to restaurants and banks. And despite some incremental reforms in family law across the Gulf region, a woman who angers her husband is still prone to the "triple talaq," the controversial oral divorce, with little to no recourse to alimony.
The deep gender disparities of the region were raised six years ago by the United Nations in the Arab Human Development Report, which was researched and drafted by Arab intellectuals and scholars. Stating unequivocally that the Arab region as a whole failed to "treat its womenfolk as full citizens," it concluded that the oppression of women represented one of the root causes of backwardness in the Arab world and the dearth of creativity. Put another way, a community is doomed to lack the competitive edge if it routinely stifles half of its production potential.
There is still a culture of stigma attached to women who opt for certain careers. In the media, for instance, Gulf nationals account for a mere 10 percent of journalists in the comparatively liberal United Arab Emirates - and out of these, barely a sliver are women. This lacuna is particularly evident in reporting on controversial local issues, such as sexual abuse or female circumcision, which are typically assigned to well-meaning if ultimately detached expatriate journalists.
However, women are making slow – if sluggish – gains in the Middle East. The views and aspirations of Arab women are changing thanks largely to the Internet and increasing educational opportunities. Within that context, more than 55 per cent of university students in Saudi Arabia are women; and in neighboring Qatar and the UAE, women outnumber men by three to one. Equally, fertility rates have halved across the Gulf region over the past two decades as women have sought to move beyond a purely traditional role – the decrease has been most dramatic in Oman, with a drop from ten births per woman to fewer than four over that period.
Even politically, women have been able to make some small but notable gains. Last month, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia sacked the conservative head of the Commission of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice – the agency that enforces the wearing of the hijab – and appointed the first woman in his cabinet. In Kuwait, women made history in 2006 by voting and contesting in a local by-election for the first time, after the parliament granted them right to suffrage the previous year.
However, the region remains deeply patriarchal. These modest gains in the political, economic and legal rights of women have been contested at every turn, and there is a very real danger that further emancipation will be crushed under the weight of male chauvinism. These reactionary elements must not be allowed to obstruct the process of rethinking the role of Arab women, which is now in its second century. This reassessment has its roots in 1899, when the celebrated Egyptian author Qasim Amin published a seminal work that explicitly laid the blame of the region's backwardness to the oppression of women – the very same conclusion reiterated a century later in the Arab Human Development Report.
Amin went on to inspire Hoda Shaarawi, who in turn continues to provide a shining example to countless Arab feminists. Within that context, it is also important to understand that Shaarawi removed her hijab in public not as a political statement – the removal of the veil was never on the agenda of the Feminist Union. Rather, it was meant as an uplifting gesture to express the most basic cri de coeur: suppressed women the world over crave more freedom, more education and better prospects. Above all, they deserve humane treatment from the society, not just the rights
--
Carl Gibeily is a Lebanese novelist and journalist, whose novels include, "Blueprint for a Prophet," (Doubleday: UK) and "March Dust," (to be published in 2010).
By CARL GIBEILY Published: April 10, 2009
MANAMA -- Hoda Shaarawi should best be remembered for her role in founding Egypt's Feminist Union – the first such organization in the Arab region – and for fighting to establish a minimum marriage age for women, reform family law, restrict polygamy and promote the education of girls. And yet, among all her achievements, it is telling that contemporary Arab historians inevitably focus first on one bold, symbolic act at the central train station in Cairo. In the first week of March 1923, Shaarawi deliberately did the unthinkable: she removed her veil in public.
In some respects, the Arab region is the same place for women that it was 86 years ago. In the more conservative parts of the Arab region, most particularly Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive a car, sail a boat or fly a plane. They still cannot expose hair, wrists and ankles in public, or travel without the permission of a male relative: usually a father, husband or – in some ways more constraining for its role reversal – a son.
Saudi Arabia is not alone in segregating the sexes in many public settings, ranging from schools and universities to restaurants and banks. And despite some incremental reforms in family law across the Gulf region, a woman who angers her husband is still prone to the "triple talaq," the controversial oral divorce, with little to no recourse to alimony.
The deep gender disparities of the region were raised six years ago by the United Nations in the Arab Human Development Report, which was researched and drafted by Arab intellectuals and scholars. Stating unequivocally that the Arab region as a whole failed to "treat its womenfolk as full citizens," it concluded that the oppression of women represented one of the root causes of backwardness in the Arab world and the dearth of creativity. Put another way, a community is doomed to lack the competitive edge if it routinely stifles half of its production potential.
There is still a culture of stigma attached to women who opt for certain careers. In the media, for instance, Gulf nationals account for a mere 10 percent of journalists in the comparatively liberal United Arab Emirates - and out of these, barely a sliver are women. This lacuna is particularly evident in reporting on controversial local issues, such as sexual abuse or female circumcision, which are typically assigned to well-meaning if ultimately detached expatriate journalists.
However, women are making slow – if sluggish – gains in the Middle East. The views and aspirations of Arab women are changing thanks largely to the Internet and increasing educational opportunities. Within that context, more than 55 per cent of university students in Saudi Arabia are women; and in neighboring Qatar and the UAE, women outnumber men by three to one. Equally, fertility rates have halved across the Gulf region over the past two decades as women have sought to move beyond a purely traditional role – the decrease has been most dramatic in Oman, with a drop from ten births per woman to fewer than four over that period.
Even politically, women have been able to make some small but notable gains. Last month, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia sacked the conservative head of the Commission of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice – the agency that enforces the wearing of the hijab – and appointed the first woman in his cabinet. In Kuwait, women made history in 2006 by voting and contesting in a local by-election for the first time, after the parliament granted them right to suffrage the previous year.
However, the region remains deeply patriarchal. These modest gains in the political, economic and legal rights of women have been contested at every turn, and there is a very real danger that further emancipation will be crushed under the weight of male chauvinism. These reactionary elements must not be allowed to obstruct the process of rethinking the role of Arab women, which is now in its second century. This reassessment has its roots in 1899, when the celebrated Egyptian author Qasim Amin published a seminal work that explicitly laid the blame of the region's backwardness to the oppression of women – the very same conclusion reiterated a century later in the Arab Human Development Report.
Amin went on to inspire Hoda Shaarawi, who in turn continues to provide a shining example to countless Arab feminists. Within that context, it is also important to understand that Shaarawi removed her hijab in public not as a political statement – the removal of the veil was never on the agenda of the Feminist Union. Rather, it was meant as an uplifting gesture to express the most basic cri de coeur: suppressed women the world over crave more freedom, more education and better prospects. Above all, they deserve humane treatment from the society, not just the rights
--
Carl Gibeily is a Lebanese novelist and journalist, whose novels include, "Blueprint for a Prophet," (Doubleday: UK) and "March Dust," (to be published in 2010).
Yemen: Giving a Voice To The Women Activists In Yemen
Rising Voices
The Republic of Yemen is an Arab country of more than 23 million people located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia. It is the only republic on the Arabian Peninsula (not led by a hereditary monarch) and is one of the poorest countries of the region. Its capital is Sana'a and the language is Arabic. Yemen is so often ignored by the international media and people know little about the country. With an internet penetration of less than 2% we do not usually get alternative perspectives from the citizen journalists. This has so often led to stereotyping of Yemenis.
For example Yemenis enjoy some unique freedom as an expat blogger Jalilah informs:
The veiling of women is not law in Yemen as it is in Saudi Arabia. Many younger, educated women merely cover their heads, but not their faces, and some do not veil at all. Those who do, do so in deference to tradition, not to law. [..]
Yemeni Arabic is quite different from other Arabic dialects and the women additionally speak a dialect all their own. I later learned that this was to insure more privacy and to avoid being understood by the men!
Women constitute only 30 percent of the Yemeni workforce and approximately 70 percent of women in Yemen are illiterate. The gap between men and women is very wide in terms of political empowerment and economic participation but the literacy rate is not that different from men. Various social, religious and political factors are responsible for women's low status (source) and women rarely have the platforms to voice their opinions.
But the Yemeni women are fighting back. For example, Yemeni women activists are fighting against the fundamentalists to prove that Islam does not contradict the use of contraceptives an family planning. But these activities are not much visible to the world. It is the high time when they start to harness the power of internet to help spread their activism and widen their campaigns.
Ghaida'a Al Absi plans to change the situation with a Rising Voices micro grant. She writes in her blog:
Human rights are being violated in many countries of the world, particularly developing countries, but there are a lot of people do not tolerate it and is trying to promote what is happening in their countries and to the whole world […] But..Yemen has several cases of gross human rights violations are not known to the world, and because of the weakness of civil society institutions and their lack of knowledge of right-wing.
In the project proposal Ghaida'a mentioned that her goal is:
to prepare and conduct a training course in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. The project will focus on the Politicians women and the women workers in the field of Human Rights. In addition, the main objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of those women to be able to express their own thoughts through the Internet. The training course will be conducted monthly for four days, two hours a day.
The targeted community is the activists women who work in politics or in the field of human rights. The trainings will give the targeted community the ability to use Internet in order to publish their point of views, documenting their activities and will give them the space to publish the issues they are fighting for.
Now let us learn more about Ghaida'a. She works at the SOUL Organization for Women and Children Development as WIT program assistant. The WIT (Women in Technology) program is about empowering Women in Technology. She is also doing some voluntary work in the organization like preparing training sessions in various topics for the Yemeni girls in WIT Forum.
She is also a volunteer in Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights, and the founder and coordinator of the Hand in hand Initiative, which is which is a forum of a group of youths engaged in raising awareness and rehabilitation of young people to make them able to change the future for the better, through education, information and capacity-building. In addition, she is a member of the MEPI Alumni.
We interviewed her recently in Germany at a conference on new media activism in the Middle East. In this interview she introduces herself and discusses the contents of the workshops, the challenges the project will face, and what she expects from the Rising Voices community.
The contents of the curriculum of this project will cover the use of Internet in publishing the issues concerning the activists and will be generated by three experts (including Ghaida'a) in new media. The guide will be in Arabic language, and will be arranged in handouts to be distributed to the targeted community.
The participants will be taught to create blogs to document their activities, voice their opinions and create a community of activists.
We are eager to follow the activities of the “Empowerment of Women Activists in Media Techniques” project and wish its success.
The Republic of Yemen is an Arab country of more than 23 million people located on the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia. It is the only republic on the Arabian Peninsula (not led by a hereditary monarch) and is one of the poorest countries of the region. Its capital is Sana'a and the language is Arabic. Yemen is so often ignored by the international media and people know little about the country. With an internet penetration of less than 2% we do not usually get alternative perspectives from the citizen journalists. This has so often led to stereotyping of Yemenis.
For example Yemenis enjoy some unique freedom as an expat blogger Jalilah informs:
The veiling of women is not law in Yemen as it is in Saudi Arabia. Many younger, educated women merely cover their heads, but not their faces, and some do not veil at all. Those who do, do so in deference to tradition, not to law. [..]
Yemeni Arabic is quite different from other Arabic dialects and the women additionally speak a dialect all their own. I later learned that this was to insure more privacy and to avoid being understood by the men!
Women constitute only 30 percent of the Yemeni workforce and approximately 70 percent of women in Yemen are illiterate. The gap between men and women is very wide in terms of political empowerment and economic participation but the literacy rate is not that different from men. Various social, religious and political factors are responsible for women's low status (source) and women rarely have the platforms to voice their opinions.
But the Yemeni women are fighting back. For example, Yemeni women activists are fighting against the fundamentalists to prove that Islam does not contradict the use of contraceptives an family planning. But these activities are not much visible to the world. It is the high time when they start to harness the power of internet to help spread their activism and widen their campaigns.
Ghaida'a Al Absi plans to change the situation with a Rising Voices micro grant. She writes in her blog:
Human rights are being violated in many countries of the world, particularly developing countries, but there are a lot of people do not tolerate it and is trying to promote what is happening in their countries and to the whole world […] But..Yemen has several cases of gross human rights violations are not known to the world, and because of the weakness of civil society institutions and their lack of knowledge of right-wing.
In the project proposal Ghaida'a mentioned that her goal is:
to prepare and conduct a training course in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. The project will focus on the Politicians women and the women workers in the field of Human Rights. In addition, the main objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of those women to be able to express their own thoughts through the Internet. The training course will be conducted monthly for four days, two hours a day.
The targeted community is the activists women who work in politics or in the field of human rights. The trainings will give the targeted community the ability to use Internet in order to publish their point of views, documenting their activities and will give them the space to publish the issues they are fighting for.
Now let us learn more about Ghaida'a. She works at the SOUL Organization for Women and Children Development as WIT program assistant. The WIT (Women in Technology) program is about empowering Women in Technology. She is also doing some voluntary work in the organization like preparing training sessions in various topics for the Yemeni girls in WIT Forum.
She is also a volunteer in Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights, and the founder and coordinator of the Hand in hand Initiative, which is which is a forum of a group of youths engaged in raising awareness and rehabilitation of young people to make them able to change the future for the better, through education, information and capacity-building. In addition, she is a member of the MEPI Alumni.
We interviewed her recently in Germany at a conference on new media activism in the Middle East. In this interview she introduces herself and discusses the contents of the workshops, the challenges the project will face, and what she expects from the Rising Voices community.
The contents of the curriculum of this project will cover the use of Internet in publishing the issues concerning the activists and will be generated by three experts (including Ghaida'a) in new media. The guide will be in Arabic language, and will be arranged in handouts to be distributed to the targeted community.
The participants will be taught to create blogs to document their activities, voice their opinions and create a community of activists.
We are eager to follow the activities of the “Empowerment of Women Activists in Media Techniques” project and wish its success.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
UAE: UAE General Women’s Union Praises MEPI
With the presence of UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and representatives of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and foreign ambassadors, the UAE General Women Union (GWU) launched UNIFEM's Biennial Global Report, Progress
of the World's Women 2008/2009 last week. The report features new data and calls for
stronger accountability systems to move from commitments on women's rights. During the launch ceremony, the Legal Adviser of the GWU told the audience that 600 Emirati women were empowered through MEPI-sponsored programs and cooperation, especially thru the MEPI Women in Technology (WIT) program.
UAEG representatives expressed willingness to cooperate with MEPI to develop programs
on countering domestic violence, while UNIFEM's Deputy Director said they want to learn from and cooperate with MEPI programs related to women's political empowerment,
especially programs dedicated to further empower Arab woman MPs. UNIFEM has a project
entitled “Arab Women Parliamentarians.”
of the World's Women 2008/2009 last week. The report features new data and calls for
stronger accountability systems to move from commitments on women's rights. During the launch ceremony, the Legal Adviser of the GWU told the audience that 600 Emirati women were empowered through MEPI-sponsored programs and cooperation, especially thru the MEPI Women in Technology (WIT) program.
UAEG representatives expressed willingness to cooperate with MEPI to develop programs
on countering domestic violence, while UNIFEM's Deputy Director said they want to learn from and cooperate with MEPI programs related to women's political empowerment,
especially programs dedicated to further empower Arab woman MPs. UNIFEM has a project
entitled “Arab Women Parliamentarians.”
Saudi Arabia: OP-ED: Starting women’s rights organization in Kingdom
Sabria S. Jawhar
COULD it be that no one is interested in establishing a women’s support group in Saudi Arabia? Is it possible that women have all the support they need to find jobs, get an education and achieve that ultimate dream of zipping around Jeddah in a BMW Z28?
Apparently the Saudi Ministry of Social Affairs thinks so. And I, for one, appreciate their confidence that Saudi women can do it alone and do not need the help of organized groups.
I don’t know Sulaiman Al-Salman, the man who thought up Ansar Al-Ma’rah, which translates into Supporters of Women, and what exactly are his goals. He says he has about two dozen people ready to help him launch the support group as the first official organization to fight for Saudi women’s rights.
The Ministry of Social Affairs said “no” or just pretty much ignored him, which seems par for the course for the government when they just rather have things go away
The National Society for Human Rights and the Saudi Human Rights Commission can pretty much attest to the fact that in some circles they would rather not be seen or heard by the government, especially after the groups see report after report tossed in the circular file for further non-action.
According to media reports, Al-Salman said he wanted to start the organization to improve the lives of Saudi women. But he complained the Ministry said it was not authorized to approve of the organization. Yet many other humanitarian groups received approval, he said.
Part of Al-Salman’s problem may be of the chicken before the egg nature. He says he is getting plenty of support from individuals and businesses, but no financial support.
And if I am reading his concerns correctly, not a lot of people are standing up publicly to be counted as supporting the group.
It seems that most people are taking a wait-and-see attitude. If the government approves Ansar Al-Ma’rah, then all is well and good and let the work begin. But the prevailing wisdom is why stick one’s neck out if there is no official support? Without people putting their name publicly to the project it’s doomed to failure.
If there ever is a need for a women’s rights group, then Saudi Arabia is fertile ground for one. One only has to look to our judicial system to see the scales of justice tilted toward customs and traditions instead of well-reasoned laws that protect women in domestic cases. The list of judicial transgressions against Saudi women is long and growing longer.
Saudi woman, it seems, are reduced to theatrics to get the government’s attention. We have one activist driving a car on some dusty desert road in the middle of nowhere, then posting her “protest” on YouTube to publicize our right to drive a car.
Another has started an Internet petition drive to gain support to allow women to work in lingerie shops. And for those ladies with a temper, they just storm the Hay’a’s office in Madina and throw around furniture, and shout and flail their arms about at the bewildered mutawween.
All of it doesn’t amount to much. And it would be wonderful if an organized women’s rights group, with the backing of Saudi intellectuals and business leaders, was given a voice by the government to air grievances and find solutions to help give women more opportunities to be a part of Saudi society.
If a women’s right organization wants recognition from the government then it must begin with people who have influence. That is, the founding membership must be civic leaders with the gravitas to get things done and are willing to commit their time and resources to the project before authorization is requested from the government.
If leading businessmen and women from Jeddah, Riyadh and Madina are willing to explore issues affecting women, and then stick with the plan by working with the government toward reform, then there is a chance for success.
A single man, or woman, on a mission with the half-hearted backing of shadow supporters will not get the job done. But people willing to stand up and be counted, and even willing to take some grief from their neighbors, just might pull it off. – SG
COULD it be that no one is interested in establishing a women’s support group in Saudi Arabia? Is it possible that women have all the support they need to find jobs, get an education and achieve that ultimate dream of zipping around Jeddah in a BMW Z28?
Apparently the Saudi Ministry of Social Affairs thinks so. And I, for one, appreciate their confidence that Saudi women can do it alone and do not need the help of organized groups.
I don’t know Sulaiman Al-Salman, the man who thought up Ansar Al-Ma’rah, which translates into Supporters of Women, and what exactly are his goals. He says he has about two dozen people ready to help him launch the support group as the first official organization to fight for Saudi women’s rights.
The Ministry of Social Affairs said “no” or just pretty much ignored him, which seems par for the course for the government when they just rather have things go away
The National Society for Human Rights and the Saudi Human Rights Commission can pretty much attest to the fact that in some circles they would rather not be seen or heard by the government, especially after the groups see report after report tossed in the circular file for further non-action.
According to media reports, Al-Salman said he wanted to start the organization to improve the lives of Saudi women. But he complained the Ministry said it was not authorized to approve of the organization. Yet many other humanitarian groups received approval, he said.
Part of Al-Salman’s problem may be of the chicken before the egg nature. He says he is getting plenty of support from individuals and businesses, but no financial support.
And if I am reading his concerns correctly, not a lot of people are standing up publicly to be counted as supporting the group.
It seems that most people are taking a wait-and-see attitude. If the government approves Ansar Al-Ma’rah, then all is well and good and let the work begin. But the prevailing wisdom is why stick one’s neck out if there is no official support? Without people putting their name publicly to the project it’s doomed to failure.
If there ever is a need for a women’s rights group, then Saudi Arabia is fertile ground for one. One only has to look to our judicial system to see the scales of justice tilted toward customs and traditions instead of well-reasoned laws that protect women in domestic cases. The list of judicial transgressions against Saudi women is long and growing longer.
Saudi woman, it seems, are reduced to theatrics to get the government’s attention. We have one activist driving a car on some dusty desert road in the middle of nowhere, then posting her “protest” on YouTube to publicize our right to drive a car.
Another has started an Internet petition drive to gain support to allow women to work in lingerie shops. And for those ladies with a temper, they just storm the Hay’a’s office in Madina and throw around furniture, and shout and flail their arms about at the bewildered mutawween.
All of it doesn’t amount to much. And it would be wonderful if an organized women’s rights group, with the backing of Saudi intellectuals and business leaders, was given a voice by the government to air grievances and find solutions to help give women more opportunities to be a part of Saudi society.
If a women’s right organization wants recognition from the government then it must begin with people who have influence. That is, the founding membership must be civic leaders with the gravitas to get things done and are willing to commit their time and resources to the project before authorization is requested from the government.
If leading businessmen and women from Jeddah, Riyadh and Madina are willing to explore issues affecting women, and then stick with the plan by working with the government toward reform, then there is a chance for success.
A single man, or woman, on a mission with the half-hearted backing of shadow supporters will not get the job done. But people willing to stand up and be counted, and even willing to take some grief from their neighbors, just might pull it off. – SG
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Jordan: Queen Noor Discusses Destroying Nuclear Weapons on 'The Colbert Report'
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
Queen Noor on "The Colbert Report"Queen Noor has been making the media rounds for her great new cause — ridding the world of nuclear weapons.
The Jordanian queen, who was born Lisa Najeeb Halaby to an Arab-American family in the U.S. and went on to marry the now-deceased King Hussein, works with Global Zero, a new international initiative working to eliminate the world’s nuclear weapons stockpiles.
Hoping to spread the word, she appeared on Comedy Central’s "The Colbert Report" last night, during which she touted Global Zero’s work — and knighted host Stephen Colbert leader of the Colbert Nation, but not after driving a hard bargain: she required him to sign onto the Global Zero initiative first.
Nuclear proliferation is the "gravest security threat to the world today," she said. Colbert tried to get at which country had the most weapons, but Noor kept her cool.
"But how can we get rid of nuclear weapons — nuclear weapons are what keep us safe from other people’s nuclear weapons?" Colbert asked in his typical snarky style. "Let’s have everyone else in the world give away their nuclear weapons first because we can be trusted — we’re the only ones who have used one. We know how bad it is. We’ll never do it again!"
"That is a Cold War-mindset," she responded.
Meanwhile, the Queen appeared on MSNBC this morning and insisted "nuclear proliferation and the related risk of nuclear terrorism are really the most pressing security threat for nations around the world today." About 40 countries have enough nuclear materials — in addition to nine major nations — to make 100,000 more nuclear weapons that what are already out there. Terrorism is of particular concern, since there have been at least 25 instances of nuclear material theft in the last several decades.
The queen also said she’s heartened by President Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world, and his recent trip to Turkey.
"He has reached out in a way and the use of his word ‘mutual respect’ … it’s vital to relations between any nations but part where the west, and the United States and the Muslim world is concern," she said. But his statements "have to be backed up with outreach," particularly in the Arab-Israeli conflict, she said.
Queen Noor on "The Colbert Report"Queen Noor has been making the media rounds for her great new cause — ridding the world of nuclear weapons.
The Jordanian queen, who was born Lisa Najeeb Halaby to an Arab-American family in the U.S. and went on to marry the now-deceased King Hussein, works with Global Zero, a new international initiative working to eliminate the world’s nuclear weapons stockpiles.
Hoping to spread the word, she appeared on Comedy Central’s "The Colbert Report" last night, during which she touted Global Zero’s work — and knighted host Stephen Colbert leader of the Colbert Nation, but not after driving a hard bargain: she required him to sign onto the Global Zero initiative first.
Nuclear proliferation is the "gravest security threat to the world today," she said. Colbert tried to get at which country had the most weapons, but Noor kept her cool.
"But how can we get rid of nuclear weapons — nuclear weapons are what keep us safe from other people’s nuclear weapons?" Colbert asked in his typical snarky style. "Let’s have everyone else in the world give away their nuclear weapons first because we can be trusted — we’re the only ones who have used one. We know how bad it is. We’ll never do it again!"
"That is a Cold War-mindset," she responded.
Meanwhile, the Queen appeared on MSNBC this morning and insisted "nuclear proliferation and the related risk of nuclear terrorism are really the most pressing security threat for nations around the world today." About 40 countries have enough nuclear materials — in addition to nine major nations — to make 100,000 more nuclear weapons that what are already out there. Terrorism is of particular concern, since there have been at least 25 instances of nuclear material theft in the last several decades.
The queen also said she’s heartened by President Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world, and his recent trip to Turkey.
"He has reached out in a way and the use of his word ‘mutual respect’ … it’s vital to relations between any nations but part where the west, and the United States and the Muslim world is concern," she said. But his statements "have to be backed up with outreach," particularly in the Arab-Israeli conflict, she said.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Kuwait: New steps to empower Kuwaiti women
Kuwait Times
Published Date: April 01, 2009
KUWAIT: A number of female political activists said that the lack of interest shown by some Kuwaiti women for political work indicated there was something wrong with the field and that it needed to be corrected.
The activists maintained that Kuwaiti women must be empowered and that the government must do everything in its power to help women in that cause. The government must also make an effort to discover the failures which have caused Kuwaiti women to not be interested in political work, they said.
The activists released their statements during the fourth session of the Women's Empowerment Center, where a document concerning women's rights and empowerment was prepared. The session was attended by a number of men and women who were interested in the cause last Sunday, Al-Watan reported.
In addition to senior legal and political officials, member of the Transparency Society and Chief of the Women's Empowerment Center Dr Salma Al-Jassar suggested forming a delegation comprised of senior female activists to meet with HH the Amir of Kuwait to ask for support for the women's empowerment project by appointing as many female ministers as possible in the next government.
She added that the project of women's empowerment was adopted in 2005 and that the center has made great efforts to support and empower women. However, it still needed the support and cooperation of other authorities, they maintained.
Published Date: April 01, 2009
KUWAIT: A number of female political activists said that the lack of interest shown by some Kuwaiti women for political work indicated there was something wrong with the field and that it needed to be corrected.
The activists maintained that Kuwaiti women must be empowered and that the government must do everything in its power to help women in that cause. The government must also make an effort to discover the failures which have caused Kuwaiti women to not be interested in political work, they said.
The activists released their statements during the fourth session of the Women's Empowerment Center, where a document concerning women's rights and empowerment was prepared. The session was attended by a number of men and women who were interested in the cause last Sunday, Al-Watan reported.
In addition to senior legal and political officials, member of the Transparency Society and Chief of the Women's Empowerment Center Dr Salma Al-Jassar suggested forming a delegation comprised of senior female activists to meet with HH the Amir of Kuwait to ask for support for the women's empowerment project by appointing as many female ministers as possible in the next government.
She added that the project of women's empowerment was adopted in 2005 and that the center has made great efforts to support and empower women. However, it still needed the support and cooperation of other authorities, they maintained.
Morocco: Al Ahd Ad-Democrati Elect 6 Women in its Politburo
Assabah, 4.3.09
After receiving the final receipt from the authorities, the party elected 6 women to its politburo which consists of 35 members. The new configuration of the politburo included several new faces coming from other political formations other than the dissolved Al Ahd party.
The new party demanded many constitutional reforms such as including regionalization in the constitution, tackling issues of identity and reinforcing the role of the parliament in the legislative arena and limiting the government stronghold over it.
After receiving the final receipt from the authorities, the party elected 6 women to its politburo which consists of 35 members. The new configuration of the politburo included several new faces coming from other political formations other than the dissolved Al Ahd party.
The new party demanded many constitutional reforms such as including regionalization in the constitution, tackling issues of identity and reinforcing the role of the parliament in the legislative arena and limiting the government stronghold over it.
Algeria: Louisa Hanoun: The Moment Has Come to Break with the System
La Tribune, 4.2.09
Defining herself as “a female politician who fights for real change against the political arm,” Louisa Hanoun has promised, if she receives the people’s mandate, that she will modify the Constitution. Notably, she expressed her desire to amend the Constitution to make the right to strike an inalienable right. She also announced that she would recognize Tamazight as “an official language alongside Arabic.”
http://www.latribune-online.com/evenement/14465.html
Defining herself as “a female politician who fights for real change against the political arm,” Louisa Hanoun has promised, if she receives the people’s mandate, that she will modify the Constitution. Notably, she expressed her desire to amend the Constitution to make the right to strike an inalienable right. She also announced that she would recognize Tamazight as “an official language alongside Arabic.”
http://www.latribune-online.com/evenement/14465.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)