Kuwait Times

Published Date: January 15, 2008
By Ahmad Al-Khaled, Staff writer

KUWAIT: The issue of gender equality under the law has come under fire of late after an exasperated Kuwaiti woman wrote to a local Arabic newspaper telling the tale of her frustrated quest to renew her passport and was told the law required her to be accompanied by her male guardian. "It is frustrating that we are not considered equipped to act as our own guardians in 2008," said a middle-aged Kuwaiti wife and mother of five, Um Talal, who read the woman's letter describing how she was denied the right to
renew her passport unless her husband accompanied her to the ministry.

While Kuwait is a Muslim nation, Kuwaiti law is not solely Sharia based, although it uses Sharia as a primary source of legislation according to the Constitution. Adult-aged Kuwaiti women are required under the law to be accompanied by their husband or father to renew their passports. If their father and husband are deceased or should they be divorced from their husband, they may be required to provide authorities with proof of their male guardian's death or proof of their marital status.

Why should we be required to offer such proof. It is insulting to be treated as if we Kuwaiti women are in need of guardianship. Shame on the government for continuing to allow such a law to remain in the books," said a 30 something Fala Jassem. "It is not Islamic to treat women poorly, we are not children! Shame on anyone that calls this law Islamic," said 65-year-old Bedour Bader.

While Kuwaiti women speaking to Kuwait Times were staunchly against the law, Kuwaiti men were divided with some going so far as to call the law a necessary requirement to keep their women protected. "It is a husband's duty to act as a guardian for his wife. We must lead our families and this includes the wife," said 53-year-old father of four Abdullah Nasser.

The law was put in the books to keep a wife from running away from her husband and taking care of the children. It is necessary for this law to continue if we are to protect our families and continue to act as the guide and head of our households," said 26-year-old Muhamed Ibrahim. "We must protect women and that is why the law is in place," said 42-year-old Saad Khalid. When Kuwait Times asked Saad what women needed protection from, he responded saying, "Their own emotions, which may cause them to leave
a husband based on hysteria rather than logic.

Some women speaking to Kuwait Times expressed surprise that after talking to numerous officials within the ministry, that the women who wrote the letter was still unable to obtain her passport renewal without her husband. "I have renewed my passport without anyone with me. Perhaps the officials are selective in their enforcement of this law. It would not be the first time that selective enforcement of a law occurred in a ministry," said Um Nasser. "Going to a ministry for any papers can be an ordeal and so
metimes things are enforced and other times if you have some wasta or know someone, you get what you want," said Noor Ghassam.

The Preamble of Kuwait's constitution reads, "citizens are to be provided with more political freedom, equality, and social justice." Sixty-something Luluwa Muhamed said, "Where is the equality in my husband signing off on my passport." She added, "Should he also sign-off on my vote as well?" 27-year-old Noor Barrak asked, "How is it possible for a so-called equal woman to act as a minister in the government Cabinet and not be able to renew her own passport without a male guardian. If the minister needs a
guardian, we are all lost!" 25-year-old Yusef Abdulrahman said, "It cannot be in line with the constitution to require an adult woman to have a male guardian present. This is not equal, nor is it just.

The constitution's preamble also notes the states intent to, "enhance the dignity of the individual." 33-year-old Waleed Nawaf said, "Where is dignity in my mother being required to provide the ministry with my father's death certificate every time she needs to renew her passport." He added, "Whatever the woman's status is - married, divorced, widowed, single - she deserves the individual dignity allotted to all Kuwaiti citizens as this is our constitutional right. My mother and my sisters do not need a gu
ardian.