Kuwait: First female judges sworn in
Ground-breaking move for the Gulf state after long battle to allow women to serve in role
Dubai: Eight females have been sworn in as judges to the supreme court in Kuwait, marking a first for the Gulf state, local media reported.
They were among 54 people appointed as judges to the supreme court, according to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The female judges’ work will be evaluated after a period of time, said Yousef Al Matawa, chairman of Kuwait’s supreme judicial council and the court of cassation, quoted by KUNA.
Matawa did not specify how long that period of time would be.
While Kuwaiti society is one of the most open-minded in the Gulf, with women in top government positions, some traditional families impose tight restrictions on their female relatives’ movements.
Lulwa Saleh Al Mulla, head of the Kuwaiti Women’s Cultural and Social Society, said her organization had long fought for the right of women to serve as judges.
“These appointments are heartwarming, and we believe that we are taking steps forward towards the ranks of advanced countries,” she said.
Women in Kuwait were granted the right to vote and run for political office in 2005.
Four years later, the first female lawmakers were elected.