In a move to open the door for the Kuwaiti women to join local police forces, the Kuwait's cabinet backed a draft law on May 6th that would allow them to join the conservative Muslim state's police force, reports said.
A statement was quoted by the Middle East as saying that “the cabinet had approved a draft decree at its weekly meeting allowing women to become police officers.”
The cabinet plans to adopt the decree at its next meeting and send it for approval by the oil-rich state's emir, Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, said the weekly Egyptian paper.
The cabinet said the draft decree "represents a serious step in the direction for women to exercise their desired role to achieve national goals.”
Sabah, according to the weekly, issued a decree granting women full political rights in May 1999, after dissolving parliament for an election, but the parliament elected two months later rejected the decree.
A similar draft law enabling women to vote and stand for election was backed by the government and liberal MPs, but was defeated in parliament by just two votes after Islamist and traditionalist tribal politicians joined forces to kill it, said the paper.
Kuwaiti women are considered the most emancipated in the Gulf Arab region. They head diplomatic missions, run businesses, hold senior posts and help steer the vital oil sector, it added – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
