Massouma al-Mubarak (born 1947) is Kuwait's first female government minister, sworn in on 20 June 2005.[1] She was educated in the United States and is a professor of political science.[2]
Massouma al-Mubarak | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947 (age 76–77) |
| Education | University of North Texas (M.A.) Josef Korbel School (Ph.D.) |
| Occupation | Academic |
Biography edit
Massouma went to the US for higher education in 1971. In 1976 she completed an MA from The University of North Texas. She later earned a doctorate from the University of Denver.[3] Since 1982 she has been teaching political science at the Kuwait University.
She has been active in the field of equal rights for women and also writes a daily column for Al Anba newspaper.[4] In 2002 she collected signatures on a petition opposing segregation by gender or abolishing coeducation in Kuwait.[5]
In June 2005, she was appointed minister of planning and minister of state for administrative development to the cabinet led by prime minister Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah.[6] On 25 August 2007, she resigned as minister of health following a fire in a hospital in Jahra which killed two patients.[7]
In the 2009 Kuwaiti parliamentary elections, she and three other women won seats to become the first women to enter the Kuwaiti parliament.[8]
References edit
- ^ "Women In Gulf Politics: A Progress Report". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 28 May 2005.
- ^ "Kuwait's woman minister sworn-in". BBC. 20 June 2005.
- ^ "Person of the Week: Dr. Massouma al-Mubarak". ABC News. 17 June 2005.
- ^ "Kuwait Names Woman Minister". Arab News. 13 June 2005.
- ^ Diana Elias (11 August 2002). "Coeducation Nears End at Kuwait University". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Kuwait Names First Woman Cabinet Member". Asharq Alawsat. 13 June 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- ^ "Kuwait health minister resigns after hospital fire". Reuters. 25 August 2007.
- ^ "Kuwait votes for first female MPs". BBC. 17 May 2009.