VZCZCXRO7854
PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHKU #4579/01 3401403
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061403Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7792
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004579 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND INR/I 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KISL KWMN KU ISLAMISTS
SUBJECT: (C) C-NE6-01698: KUWAITI ISLAMISTS' INITIATIVES ON 
WOMEN'S ISSUES 
 
REF: A. STATE 173333 
     ¶B. KUWAIT 4075 
     ¶C. KUWAIT 3984 
 
Classified By: DCM Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (c) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C/NF) Summary and comment: The women's issues 
legislation recently drafted by Islamist parliamentarians 
aims to increase state benefits provided to Kuwaiti women, 
not change their social and political status.  It is likely 
the result of women's suffrage and recent electoral reforms 
resulting in larger constituencies, which are forcing MPs to 
build a broader base of support, and does not represent any 
significant change in Islamists' position on women's rights 
issues.  Islamist MP Ahmed Baqer said the proposal included 
some Islamist initiatives intended to protect women, such as 
prohibiting them from working in men's barbershops and other 
potentially morally degrading professions.  A number of 
Islamist MPs have established committees/times to receive 
their female constituents' requests.  Islamists have proven 
pragmatic within limits on women's issues as demonstrated 
during the June 2006 parliamentary elections.  The Secretary 
General of the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) told 
Poloff that the ICM's stance on women's issues had moderated 
to some extent due to the increased influence of moderates 
within the organization.  He expressed hope that by the next 
elections or the following ones the ICM could even nominate 
women to run for Parliament. 
 
¶2.  (C/NF) Comment: In order to appeal to a larger 
electorate, Islamists are likely to continue to try to get 
out in front on issues like fighting corruption, promoting 
economic development, defending Bidoon (stateless Arabs) 
rights, and obtaining more state benefits for women.  The 
ICM, the largest and most well-organized political 
association in Kuwait, is most successful at this and their 
six MPs tend to be some of the most vocal advocates for these 
issues.  While the ICM's current leadership tends to be more 
moderate on women's rights issues, the organization's 
conservative tribal base is more resistant to social changes. 
 Other members of the Islamic Bloc are similarly influenced 
by their conservative, predominantly tribal constituencies on 
social issues.  These social factors will likely continue to 
influence Islamist parliamentarians' positions on women's 
issues, even those who themselves hold more moderate 
opinions.  End summary and comment. 
 
Islamists Support More Benefits for Women 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C/NF) The women's proposal recently drafted by Islamist 
parliamentarians (ref C) is primarily a political move 
intended to win the support of their new female constituents, 
and does not represent any significant change in their 
position on women's rights issues.  It is important to note 
that the proposal is concerned with increasing the benefits 
provided to Kuwaiti women, not their social and political 
status.  While it was drafted by four Islamist MPs, the 
proposal is supported by the entire 17-member Islamic Bloc. 
Salafi MP Ahmed Baqer, a former Minister of Justice and the 
Coordinator of the Islamic Bloc, told Poloff that while the 
proposal's chief aim was to increase women's social benefits, 
it also included some Islamist initiatives, such as 
prohibiting women from working in men's barbershops and other 
potentially morally degrading professions.  He explained that 
this was intended to protect women. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In a recent interview, Baqer said the Islamic Bloc 
attaches great importance to women's issues and supports 
legislation banning "the manipulation of women"; easing 
retirement for mothers of handicapped children; providing 
employment for sons of Kuwaiti mothers; granting employment 
benefits to non-working housewives caring for their children; 
and giving housing and rental allowances to all Kuwaiti 
women.  In late-October, independent Islamist MP Faisil 
Al-Muslim submitted two separate proposals to increase 
benefits provided to Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti 
men, specifically exempting their children from paying 
residence fees and providing them with free health care. 
(Note: Children born in Kuwait inherit the nationality of 
their father.  End note.) 
 
Islamists Pragmatic on Women's Issues, Within Limits 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Islamists have proven relatively pragmatic on 
women's issues, albeit within limits, and have been willing 
to alter their position when politically expedient.  For 
example, during the June 2006 elections Islamist candidates, 
 
KUWAIT 00004579  002 OF 002 
 
 
some of whom voted against women's suffrage legislation in 
2005, actively courted female voters, establishing women's 
campaign committees staffed by their female relatives and 
friends and hosting women at their election tents.  MP Jaman 
Al-Hirbish, a member of the Women's Affairs Committee in 
Parliament and the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), the 
political arm of the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, announced 
recently that his female staff would answer questions and 
receive requests from female constituents at his diwaniya 
every Saturday evening.  Another ICM MP, Dr. Nasser Al-Sane, 
also announced recently that he would "form a women's 
consultative committee to inform (him) of the demands of 
women in (his) constituency and take them to the Parliament." 
 Other Islamist MPs have similarly established means of 
receiving requests for assistance from their female 
constituents. 
 
ICM Moderates Influencing Position on Women's Issues? 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶6.  (C/NF) Dr. Bader Al-Nashi, the Secretary General of the 
ICM, told Poloff December 5 that the ICM's more moderate wing 
was gaining influence vis-a-vis its more conservative 
elements, particularly after the ICM gained four seats in the 
2006 parliamentary elections.  Evidence of this can be seen 
in the organization's more moderate approach on women's 
issues, he argued.  He added that the ICM would soon 
establish an internal Women's Committee, something that would 
not have been possible several years ago due to opposition 
from conservatives within the organization.  Al-Nashi also 
expressed hope that the ICM would one day, "maybe in four or 
eight years," be able to nominate women to run for Parliament. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
LEBARON