READER COMMENTS

Domestic violence exists in most countries in the world, particularly the countries that adopt the tribal system, including the Arab countries, where men are in charge of women, and where there are no equal rights. In such countries, the man is the one who makes the decisions in the house, and he has the final word regarding the family’s affairs. In most cases, the women are housewives and run their houses in terms of cooking, laundry, and daily work, which makes the man the decision-maker in everything. The reason for this is the lack of education among women and their inability to go out to the outside world, to get to know people and learn to talk and deal with men. As for getting children accustomed to the beating of women, it is very negative and wrong to teach boys to beat their sisters, wives, relatives or any women, because it is contrary to the Islamic law and teachings that do not call for beating women or abusing them in any way. That is because this may cause the woman to start going in the wrong direction, one of immorality and limitless freedoms. However, this does not apply to everyone except some women, who had a wrong upbringing. As God Almighty said, men are in charge of women. We have to focus on the positive aspects and characteristics in that. A woman is the man's partner in life, the mother and sister who should be respected, because according to the Islamic religion, the Prophet, peace be upon him, recommended that men be kind to the women, and said: “Paradise is at the feet of the mothers.” This is the greatest proof that the woman has a great status, since she participates with the man in his life, and gives birth to men, in addition to her role in helping the elderly relatives. Hence, beating the woman is forbidden.

First, we need to educate men and women in our societies, and then we will move forward and apply these laws. If women were given all their rights, this would change their situations and their psychology, as well as the foreign countries’ view of the Arab community as a whole. It is true that here we are demanding women's rights, but women also have duties, as they want their rights, they should take into account that we are a conservative society in an Eastern community, completely different in traditions and customs from the Western societies.

Recently, some organizations and bodies have emerged and called for women’s rights. They claim their demands; they educate people on the importance of paving the way for women to play their positive role and to integrate themselves into society, like men. Some women have even outstripped men in different areas. What happened recently in Iraq is a step in the right direction. Iraqi women have genuine and considerable representation in the parliamentary councils and in the governorate constituencies. A few Iraqi women have become ministers and managing directors, and have held other positions of authority in the country. We rely more on women’s positive role in Arab societies and the spreading of the actual democratic experience in Iraq, which has ensured women’s rights in Iraq.

Woman is an essential and dynamic element in various walks of life. She is a standard scale of progress and development as a human being, with no significant differences between her and the man. With respect to the performance of tasks, she is capable of discharging all her duties in a proper manner as well as the man does in all fields: politics, economics, medicine, science and knowledge, as well as at the social level and all other levels, as she has a mind and potentialities on one hand, and she has culture and full awareness on the other.... In Europe and America, woman comes first as a proactive element, and laws are being passed to protect and secure her rights. The more care is dedicated to the woman, the more progress and advancement can be realized in countries. Thus, we do recognize the woman's position and importance...

Islam preserves women’s rights. I think that Islam has always honored women, preserved their rights and protected them from the aggression and injustice they witnessed in the previous era, where women’s rights were completely denied… And now they call for equality between men and women. There are differences between men and women; however, we accept anything that is in conformity with Islamic rules and principles. I don’t think that the law can limit women’s rights. Only Islam can guarantee women’s rights. I don’t think that rights are restricted to Arab women, but I think that only Muslim women enjoy their rights. Whenever you compare your life to the life of Western women, you will notice the importance of women in Islam by the way they are treated. The Quran is the only Holy Book which honors women by reserving one “Surat” to women entitled “Surat An Nisaa”. Does this exist in any other Holy Book?

Woman’s liberation is a reflection of man’s liberation from intellectual ossification, and his agreeing to give his integral half his legitimate and seized rights. The woman should have the right to lead an honorable life, like the man, and she should be given the opportunity to participate creatively in building society and leading it. Therefore, I call on all those who are keen on achieving the interests of the Kuwaiti people to allow the woman to take a proper position in the parliament, to continue defending the rights of oppressed women.