Kuwait: Hijab rule for women who plan to join army kicks up a row
Legal, academic experts say it's discriminatory and goes against the constitution
Dubai: Women in Kuwait who plan to join the army will need to fulfil the condition of wearing a hijab, Kuwaiti media has reported.
A decision to this effect has been issued by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al Ali. The decision has sparked a controversy with constitutional, legal and academic experts saying it is discriminatory, thus unconstitutional.
In a statement to Al Qabas newspaper, constitutional and academic experts said the requirement to wear a Hijab by those holding public office contradicts the Kuwaiti constitution, which affirms in many of its articles the protection of personal freedoms, adding that the condition has no legal basis.
They also criticised the decision, which is based on a fatwa from the Fatwa Authority of the Ministry of Awqaf, that the woman joining the army must have approval from the guardian or husband.
They demanded that this decision be retracted before the Constitutional Court cancels it, as it is flawed.