Country / Region profile of: Kuwait

Although Kuwait was the first Arab Gulf State to have an elected legislature, the parliament was dominated by men until, after 34 years of heavy campaigning and the largest demonstration in Kuwait's history, women finally obtained the right to vote in 2005. Kuwait has been the location of several military conflicts, including the Iraqi invasion in 1990, Operation Desert Storm to oust the Iraqi forces in 1991, and the US-led campaign to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003. Kuwaiti women played a prominent role in the resistance of the Iraqi forces in 1990 by mobilising the opposition, transporting arms, holding demonstrations, and providing food, medicine, and shelter. Kuwait acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1994 and is ranked 129 out of 144 listed countries in the 2017 Global Gender Gap Index (GGI). The state has neither signed nor ratified the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). In the 2017 UNSC Open Debate, Kuwait stated its support for WPS. In 2017, Kuwait spent $6.8 billion on its military. Kuwait does not have a National Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325. In Kuwait, bidoon women are particularly vulnerable because of their stateless status and limited rights.