Kuwait's Sheikha Jawaher advocates for Palestinian women's rights in Jeddah

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8, (Agencies): In a speech delivered at the "Women in Islam" conference in Jeddah, the Kuwaiti Ambassador Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij reaffirmed Kuwait's support for the Palestinian people and women, praising their resilience and heroic role in the face of Israeli aggression. She highlighted the alarming situation that Palestinian women endure and the challenges they face, underlining their courage and unwavering commitment to their cause despite the immense suffering and crises caused by Israeli occupation.

The Kuwaiti Ambassador emphasized that the Israeli aggression against Palestinians violates international human rights laws and humanitarian principles, particularly in its systematic targeting of civilians, with women and children constituting approximately 70% of the casualties. She stressed Kuwait's commitment, since its inception, to establish legal foundations based on Islamic Sharia principles that safeguard and support women's rights, human dignity, and their essential role in society.

She noted that Kuwait's constitution has guaranteed the rights of Kuwaiti women since 1962, emphasizing the principle of gender equality and recognizing women as essential partners in the nation's development. She further pointed out that Kuwait has made significant strides in empowering women, with women representing approximately 58% of the national workforce, 48% in the private sector, and 60% in the public sector.

The Kuwaiti Ambassador proudly reported that Kuwait has witnessed a remarkable increase in women's representation in leadership positions, including ministerial, deputy ministerial, and assistant ministerial roles, at 28% across various sectors, reaffirming the significant role women play in decision-making processes in Kuwait. She also highlighted the growing presence of women in prominent sectors, such as law enforcement, diplomacy, the oil industry, and the judiciary, with women occupying 47% of leadership and supervisory positions in the Ministry of Defense and 43% in the engineering sector.

Kuwait's efforts to economically empower women have led to 41% of leadership and supervisory positions in the Central Bank of Kuwait being held by women, along with 26% in the banking sector and 35% in the workforce of Kuwaiti banks.

In closing, the Kuwaiti Ambassador expressed her hope that the conference's sessions would yield success and recommendations aimed at preserving and enhancing the status of women in society, emphasizing that women are central pillars of societal development and construction.

Sheikha Jawaher reported that Kuwait has advanced 10 positions in the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index, released by the World Economic Forum. Kuwait now ranks third in the Arab world in the Women, Peace, and Security Index for 2023.

The conference is taking place in a delicate and critical context where Islam and its values are under scrutiny, and efforts are being made to distort and attack Islamic principles, particularly in relation to the role of women in society. The conference's agenda is carefully crafted to elucidate the role, rights, and status of women in Islam, aiming to dispel any misconceptions and distortions about the position of women in Islamic societies.

The Kuwaiti Ambassador underscored that the Islamic religion promotes the equality of men and women in their origins, common human characteristics, responsibilities, rewards, and destinies. It has granted women all their rights and bestowed upon them a high status that preserves their dignity and elevates their importance.

Sheikha Jawaher expressed her hope that the conference's sessions would achieve success and produce recommendations that contribute to the preservation and enhancement of women's status.

In a speech at the "Women in Islam" conference held in Jeddah, Kuwait's Ambassador Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij reiterated Kuwait's unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their women. She commended their resilience and bravery in confronting the Israeli occupation, despite the significant hardships and crises they face.

The Ambassador emphasized that the Israeli aggression against Palestine constitutes a clear violation of international human rights and humanitarian laws, as it deliberately targets civilians, with women and children making up around 70% of the casualties. She reaffirmed Kuwait's commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of women, as guided by Islamic principles, and highlighted the constitutional guarantee of women's rights in Kuwait since 1962, which underscores gender equality and women's integral role in nation-building.

Sheikha Jawaher reported that Kuwait has made substantial progress in empowering women, with women comprising approximately 58% of the national workforce. She also highlighted Kuwait's remarkable achievements in increasing women's representation in leadership roles across various sectors, reaching 28%. This reflects the significant role women play in Kuwait's decision-making processes.

Furthermore, the Ambassador celebrated the growing presence of women in key sectors such as law enforcement, diplomacy, the oil industry, and the judiciary. She highlighted the significant contributions of women, constituting 47% of leadership and supervisory positions in the Ministry of Defense and 43% in the engineering sector.

Kuwait's efforts have also led to the empowerment of women in the economic sphere, with women occupying 41% of leadership and supervisory positions at the Central Bank of Kuwait, 26% in the banking sector, and 35% of the workforce in Kuwaiti banks.

Sheikha Jawaher expressed her optimism that the conference's deliberations would be successful and lead to recommendations that further bolster the status of women in society, recognizing their vital role in Kuwait's development and progress.