At the opening of Saleh Al-Mulla’s campaign quarters a few nights ago, former member of parliament Abdulla Al-Naibari gave a heated speech that touched on several subjects, including women’s rights.

He said that although Kuwaiti women have gained their political rights to elect and be elected, there are still many women’s issues that need to see reforms. Kuwaiti women have been elected or selected to the highest positions (i.e. ambassadorial, ministerial, or educational), they can own and run the biggest businesses, and they can be totally independent economically. But when it comes to doing something as simple as renewing their passports, they need a male guardian.

It sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?

Recently, I went to the passport services department in my area, armed with the family passports and with the intention of renewing them on my own. As soon as the employee in the reception saw my folder full of Kuwaiti passports, she asked me who they were for and I said for my husband, children, and myself.

Is the father around? she asked.

In retrospect, I ponder what this means.
If I were divorced, I would not have his passport in my hands to renew now would I?

I did not stop to think but nodded quickly and innocently:

Yes, of course but he asked me to help him finish his paperwork.

She shook her head resolutely:

Absolutely not. There is no way you can renew the family passports. He must do it himself. A copy of his civil ID must be attached to every passport.

(Because we are all his)

Including mine? I asked.

Yes, including yours.

I called to inform my husband that my mission had failed and he was indignant.

How can that be? What do women with no male guardians do?

I don’t know. All I know is that you have to finish the job yourself. Nothing much else I can do here.

This is only one example of the many difficulties that face women in Kuwait and that hamper their independence.

It still makes me wonder how all those Kuwaiti women who were against women’s suffrage,  are now keen to attend candidate gathering and very interested in discussing who they should vote for and why.

It also makes me wonder how all those Kuwaiti men (members of parliament and conservative men in our families) who were staunchly against any involvement of women in politics, are now actively seeking to influence the feminine vote.

And one only has to see how many women’s headquarters are set up for  male candidates to meet the female constituencies in all districts to believe how seriously they are taking the female vote. With their numbers, women can certainly sway the vote in favour of certain candidates.

I heard an interesting account that displays the difference between the elections of 2006 and the present elections.  In 2006, my friend tells me, her conservative brother influenced all the women in his family of voting age to vote for a certain candidate who represented a certain Islamic group. This candidate went on to win but did not do much in parliament, she says.

This time around, the women in the family have told their conservative brother outright that they will not vote for his friend again; and that they have other candidates to choose from.

It seems to me this is a good sign. Hopefully these women, and others, will make an effort to make up their own minds about who they will vote for on May 17th based on their own sound judgments. If one is looking at candidates who were previous members of parliament, one should find out about their achievements since 2006 and their performance. If they are new candidates, then one should look at their previous political and social record. It is always important to see how involved a candidate has been.

Women can make a difference in many ways if they make educated choices.