Kuwait

In a list of least Arab women’s participation in political work issued recently by V-Dem Institute, Kuwait was ranked second among Arab countries, after Yemen.

Who is Mudhawi? I had asked. Dr AlanoudAl Sharekh, the quiet, unassuming award-winning academic, activist, and founding member of Abolish 153, had quietly explained that Mudhawi is a traditional name from the Arabian Gulf region.

Women in Kuwait were granted their political rights in 2005, but since then they have been struggling politically, due to several reasons. In recent years, women’s representation in the National Assembly has become much weaker than before.

Although none of the 29 female candidates won a seat in Kuwait's elections they are far from stopping their efforts. But analysts fear calls for quotas and women's political leadership are falling on deaf ears.