IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 480 
Recognizing and honoring the historic election of women to the Kuwait 
parliament and its implications for gender equality in the region. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2009 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing and honoring the historic election of women 
to the Kuwait parliament and its implications for gender 
equality in the region. 
Whereas four women lawmakers won parliamentary seats for 
the first time in Kuwait’s general elections on May 16, 
2009, marking an historic event for the country, the re-
gion, and for women’s rights; 
Whereas the women elected to parliament in this historic 
election include Dr. Massouma al-Mubarak, Dr. Rola 
Dashti, Dr. Salwa al-Jassar, and Dr. Aseel al-Awadhi; 
Whereas Dr. Massouma al-Mubarak was also appointed as 
the country’s first female cabinet member in 2005 and is 
a long-time advocate in the field of women’s rights in Ku-
wait; 
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•HRES 480 IH 
Whereas Dr. Rola Dashti is the 2005 winner of the King 
Hussein Humanitarian Award, the first woman elected to 
chair the Kuwaiti Economic Society, and an advocate for 
social equality and a larger role for women in public life; 
Whereas Dr. Salwa al-Jassar is an education professor at 
Kuwait University and chair of the Women’s Empower-
ment Center; 
Whereas Dr. Aseel al-Awadhi is a philosophy professor at 
Kuwait University and stressed the importance of out-
reach to the youth in Kuwait throughout her campaign; 
Whereas of the 210 candidates running for the 50 parliament 
seats, 16 of these were women; 
Whereas women received the right to vote and run for office 
in 2005 and these elections represent only the third time 
that women have participated in the political process, sig-
nifying dramatic progress for women’s rights in only four 
years since receiving suffrage; 
Whereas these results signify support of women’s role in gov-
ernment and politics and a move towards equal rights for 
women, adding a new precedent to Kuwait’s democratic 
traditions; 
Whereas the four women elected did so without formal orga-
nized party support or a quota-based system for seats in 
parliament, making this a significant achievement for de-
mocracy in the region; 
Whereas these candidates ran for office and women exercised 
their right to vote in the face of conservative backlash 
and calls for a boycott of women candidates; and 
Whereas the political process and subsequent election of 
women to the parliament were conducted in a peaceful 
and transparent manner: Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 480 IH 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes and honors the historic election 
of women to the Kuwait parliament and its implica-
tions for gender equality in the region; and 
(2) honors those who fought for women’s suf-
frage and advocated for the advancement of the sta-
tus of women in Kuwait. 
Æ 
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