Aseel al-Awadhi
Aseel al-Awadhi (born 1969) is a former member of the National Assembly of Kuwait. She was a professor of philosophy at Kuwait University before moving into politics. Al-Awadhi first stood for a seat on the National Assembly in 2008, losing the election but gaining the highest number of votes for a female candidate since women were allowed to stand. She was elected representative of Kuwait's Third District in 2009; a post that she held until 2012.
Education[]
After studying philosophy at Kuwait University, al-Awadhi earned her PhD in philosophy at the University of Texas.[1] Upon returning to Kuwait she became a professor of philosophy at Kuwait University.[2]
Political career[]
Al-Awadhi first stood in the 2008 general election as part of the National Democratic Alliance. She gained the highest number of votes received by a Kuwaiti woman since women were allowed to stand for the National Assembly in 2005, although she did not gain enough votes to win a seat.[3] In the 2009 election she was elected as a representative for the Third District, while simultaneously becoming one of the first women to be elected to the National Assembly.[4]
Along with fellow MP (member of parliament) Rola Dashti, Al-Awadhi chose not to wear a hijab when she took her seat in the National Assembly. This decision was criticized by Islamist MPs, including prominent Islamic Salafi Alliance member Ali al-Omair. The rejected a case which claimed that refusal to wear a hijab was a violation of Kuwaiti law.[5]
Al-Awadhi lost her seat in the February 2012, but was briefly returned to parliament after the previous parliament was dissolved by the Emir in June 2012.[6] She chose to boycott the December 2012 election in protest of the decision to reduce the number of votes per person from four to one.[7] She chose not to stand in the 2013 election.[8]
References[]
- ^ Former Kuwaiti Parliament Member Discusses Middle East Democracy law.tamu.edu
- ^ "Distinguished Lecture Series hosts Kuwaiti Parliamentarian Aseel Al-Awadi, Ph.D." Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. 25 January 2010. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ U.S. PROGRAMS PROPEL KUWAITI WOMEN TO GREEN CHAIRS OF PARLIAMENT, Wikileaks, 21 May 2009, retrieved 26 January 2014
- ^ Mark Tran (17 May 2009), "First women elected to Kuwait parliament", The Guardian, retrieved 26 January 2014
- ^ James Calderwood (29 October 2009), Court rules hijab optional for MPs, The National, retrieved 26 January 2014
- ^ Grace Perriman (27 November 2012), Kuwait's Tenacious Suffragettes, archived from the original on 23 July 2013, retrieved 26 January 2014
- ^ "38 register for poll on day five". Arab Times. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ Interior Ministry's officials urged to redouble efforts ahead of elections, Kuwait Times, 23 June 2013, retrieved 26 January 2014
  | This biography of an Asian academic is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by . |
- 1969 births
- Kuwait University faculty
- Kuwaiti women academics
- Kuwaiti women in politics
- 21st-century women politicians
- Kuwaiti people of Iranian descent
- Members of the National Assembly (Kuwait)
- University of Texas alumni
- Living people
- Asian academic biography stubs