KUWAITI WOMEN’S ACTIVISM: ABOLISH153

Abstract

This thesis will focus on Abolish153 campaign in Kuwait. The campaign aims to abolish article ‎‎153 from the Kuwaiti penal code, as this article provides mitigated sentences to the person who ‎commits femicide. It should be noted that this campaign is considered the first in the Gulf ‎region, but not the Middle East to raise an awareness about the so called honor-crimes law. This ‎makes it unique and interesting to study and investigate. Overall, this thesis will analyze and ‎survey Abolish153 campaign approaches to mobilize and lobby the Kuwaiti civil society and ‎law-makers to abolish article 153. The following vital question will be discussed: How are ‎Abolish 153 campaign members devising different forms of activism to abolish article153 from ‎the Kuwaiti penal code? I argue that the members are engaging in a variety of methods, ‎particularly what can be termed a “soft approach” to women’s activism, which helps them to ‎avoid backlashes, repression and even shut down. Moreover, Abolish153 camping is not ‎officially registered in the Ministry of Social Affairs in Kuwait, rather their sister organization ‎Eithar is the official. This is done to avoid government’s restrictions. Furthermore, the members ‎of Abolish153 campaign are following the “secular approach” of human rights to achieve their ‎aims and aspirations.‎

Date of Award	2019
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Humanities and Social Science