On June 30, the House International Relations Committee approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (H. Res. 343) commending the State of Kuwait for granting women certain important political rights. The Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia approved the resolution by voice vote on June 29. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) sponsored H. Res. 343.
According to the resolution, “On May 16, 2005, the Parliament of the State of Kuwait amended Article 1 of the Election Law of 1962, providing female citizens the right to vote and run in the 2007 elections.” H. Res. 343 states that “the rights of women are of paramount importance in international human rights, to be respected and promoted regardless of historical, cultural, or religious heritage.” Further, the Department of State “recognizes that the Kuwaiti parliamentary vote…was an important step forward for the women of Kuwait and the nation as a whole, and the United States views this step as a positive development on the road to political reform, serving as a positive example for other governments and societies in the region that are on the path to political freedom.”
