Kuwaiti women poised to become judges

Second breakthrough for women in legal system in five years

Kuwait is set to appoint its first-ever female judges in 2019, after years of promises to strengthen women’s participation in the judicial sector.

In 2013, and in a muchanticipated breakthrough, the Justice Ministry accepted applications from women for the position of prosecutors.

The 22 successful applicants were sworn-in as public prosecutors in 2014, following months of delay amid staunch opposition by conservative lawmakers. The move paved the way for Kuwaiti women to be appointed as judges for the first time, because public prosecutors are promoted to eventually become judges.

According to by Kuwaiti daily sources cited Al Jarida yesterday, the decision to appoint women as judges in 2019 is based on their professional promotion, after they spend five years as prosecutors.

Although the nation’s constitution gives women full political, social and economic rights, they still face an uphill struggle to break through conservative moulds. Women were granted the right to vote and run in elections, but they were able to enter parliament only in 2009 after winning four of the 50 seats.