(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY March 9: A number of jurists and rights activists of both sexes spoke in defense of women''s rights particularly Kuwaiti women married to non- Kuwaiti men. This came during a solidarity campaign to ''Support the Rights of Kuwaiti Women Married to non-Kuwaiti Men'' which was organized by the Women''s Cultural and Social Society at its headquarters to support the children of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti men in the presence of a number of representatives of non-profit organizations and civil society institutions and a group of social activists and dignitaries.
The speakers stressed on the importance of giving this denomination of Kuwaiti women their legitimate rights guaranteed by the Kuwaiti Constitutionequal rights and duties on par with men and said it is time to lift the injustice which some laws unfairly impose on them to ensure stability. The speakers pointed out the tragic reality is the enormity of the injustice suffered by Kuwaiti women married to non- Kuwaiti men when it comes to housing rights and permanent residence for their children their education and health care considering this case represents a violation of the agreements and international conventions which have been signed and ratified by Kuwait.
They pointed out the contradictions and ironies between the clear constitutional provisions which emphasize the standard of citizenship and achieve justice and equality between men and women without discrimination and inequality and unjust laws most notably the Kuwaiti Nationality Act.
The Chairperson of the Board of Women''s Cultural Association Lulua Saleh Al-Mulla said the issue of the rights of Kuwaiti women married to non- Kuwaiti men constitutes a significant growing problem for a big sector of Kuwaiti women and this problem is aggravating by every passing day compounded with the complexity of the social and living conditions and the inability of people in charge to tackle this problem in order to give this denomination of Kuwaiti women their legitimate rights guaranteed by the Kuwaiti Constitution.
She asserted on the keenness of the society over the past years particularly after the liberation of the country from the Iraqi invasion to solve the problems and issues facing these women and failure to find a solution to their problems by the concerned state officials. Chairman of the Board of the National League for Family Security Dr Khadija Al-Mahmeed speaking at the event shed light on the suffering of the Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti men and criticized the strange contradiction and inconsistency between the constitutional provisions that call for equal rights between men and women.
Al-Mahmeed considered that the amendments approved by the National Assembly by a majority of 46 deputies and ministers at a meeting on Dec 29 2010 Law No. 47 on housing care for the year 1993 did not live up to the level of expectation in bringing justice and equality for Kuwaiti citizens. She went on to say in spite of the efforts exerted in this amendment the children of Kuwait women married to non-Kuwaiti men continue to suffer from injustice and inequality when it comes to equal opportunities in education employment granting scholarship and to add insult to injury they don''t have the right for permanent residence.
Attorney Dokhi Al-Hasban talked about the constitutional dimensions of the laws related to women''s rights pointing out there are also the rights of divorcees and widows and children of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti women who have the right for equality with men and granting of citizenship to their children. For its part another attorney Nidal Al- Humaidan stressed on the importance of housing for every human being saying it is one of the basic needs of life of a citizen in any country all over the world. She stressed on the importance of serious and effective contribution from all state sectors in order to solve the housing problem.
Dr Hisham Al-Saleh shed light on the citizenship law and said there is a lack of consistency between the Nationality Act of 1959 and the Constitution of 1962. Saleh denounced preventing the children of Kuwaiti women married to non- Kuwaiti men access to inheritance of real estate from their maternal side which is recognized in Islam but here in Kuwait the law prevents foreigners from owning real estate and this is another form of punishment for a Kuwaiti woman just because she is married to a foreigner
By: Paul Francis X. Fernandes Arab Times Staff
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