After a 10-hour parliamentary session and 23 votes against the motion, the Kuwaiti parliament has finally voted to amend its electoral laws and grant women the right to vote and to run in local and parliamentary elections.

The motion had been previously opposed and successfully thwarted by tribal and Islamist members of the parliament when they formed a majority and insisted that, according to Islamic law, women were barred from such leadership positions.  The parliament was finally convinced otherwise, but female candidates and voters must, even with this amendment, abide by Islamic law.

Mimi Hanaoka