Women get the right to vote in Kuwait

The London Times is reporting that women have been given the right to vote and to run for political office in Kuwait. There was one caveat inserted by the fundamentalists that women voters or candidates must follow Islamic law. No one is sure what limits, if any will placed on women who vote or run for office. This leaves Saudia Arabia the only country in the Middle East that does not allow women to vote.

One of the women activists who had been fighting for this basic right had this to say:

"I am overexcited. I can’t believe this," said activist Rola Dashti, who said she would run in the next parliamentary election, in 2007. "I’m starting my campaign as of today." Ms Dashti said she was not concerned by the vague reference to Islamic law, saying it probably just meant separate polling stations and not an Islamic dress code. "They can’t impose veils on voters," she said.

The earliest that women will be able to vote or run for office will 2007. The law was passed to late to allow them to able to vote in the upcoming June elections.

Now if Saudia Arabia can only see the light. But of course Saudia Arabia does not allow too many elections for men to vote. I wish the women of Kuwait the best and am glad that their struggle for their rights is paying off.