KUWAIT: The Woman Forum, which held its first meeting yesterday at the Kuwait Society for Human Rights (KSHR), focused on certain issues which are crucial to the retired women and housewives and concern their rights. Samira Al- Qinai, head of the Woman and Child Committee at the KSHR, criticized the discrimination between the retired men and women. "The Constitution considers all citizens equal and should be applied equally to the retired. The women MPs should also work on applying the Constitution equivalently so that the women can access their rights.
In addition, the media should also highlight this issue and we should also press on the government to end this discrimination between the genders," she said launching the meeting. Recapitulating some of the most important demands, Al-Qinai said, "We need different facilities and services for the retired including an information center, a training and rehabilitation center for those who want to start a business, sports clubs, health insurance that is valid in all hospitals including the private ones, and an awareness program about charity and voluntary work. Besides, there are legal demands to end the discrimination in the housing law, the social security law, and the nationality law for children." Attorney Najla Al-Naqi stressed that article 29 of the Kuwaiti Constitution ensures equality among all people in the matter of rights, duties and human dignity. "Women should be given all their rights as the Constitution does not discriminate anybody based on gender, neither does it do so on the basis of religion, origin or language.
Also, Kuwait has ratified many international treaties on this issue and hence all the unjustifiable laws and regulations should be modified or scrapped. Furthermore, all ministry decrees that are in conflict with this principle should be canceled or changed," she noted. On her part, Jinan Bushihri, member of the Municipal Council, reviewed a project called 'Returning Favour' that she along with other two members had suggested and are working on for the benefit of the retired male and female citizens. "This project includes: A complex housing a fitness center in all six governorates for the retired. It would be free of charge for the elderly citizens while others would have to pay for the services. These people need to practice sports and other healthy activities. We also suggested establishing places or centers for getting together. Such places should be similar to Diwaniyas where they can hold symposiums, exhibitions and other activities. And finally, they would be given agriculture properties to operate these for three years, then the authorities can give it to another retired person," explained Bushihri.
She concluded by saying that "we can give the retired hope of still being useful to the community." "The government can benefit from the retired people by employing them as inspectors or observers for the environment and cleanliness at public places such as gardens, beaches and others. They can be given the authority to issue fines to the violators. Also, the Public Institution for Social Security is currently executing a hospital for the retired and the location has already been approved by the Municipality," she pointed out.
Ayed Al-Manna, member of the teaching faculty at the Kuwait University and a journalist, agreed on the issue of equality between both genders in the matter of rights defined in the Constitution. "In our society the man's will prevails, so he is the one who legislates and regulates the laws and has modified these in his favor.
This culture should be changed. There is no legislation banning the retired women from accessing their rights and I demand complete equality for both genders in this matter. The demand is also supported by the international laws, treaties and agreements," he stated. Wadha Al-Agrouqa, president of the Girl's Club, highlighted that women sport is not respected by the government. She said the Club is holding many activities for women and girls since these are important for their health.
© Kuwait Times 2013
