Nejoud Al-Yagout

It has been over 10 years since five ladies — Alanoud AlSharekh, Sundus Hussein, Sheikha Al Nafeesy, Amira Behbehani and Lulu Al Sabah — have campaigned to abolish article 153 of Kuwait’s penal code, which stipulates that a man, who finds his female relative committing adultery and kills her, faces only three years of imprisonment and/or the payment of an embarrassingly meager fine. Circa a month ago, Minister of Justice Nasser Al-Sumait announced that Kuwait was moving forward to abolish the article, which was not only wondrous news for women in Kuwait, but proof that the world is geared toward goodness.

And the government of Kuwait officially abolished Article 153 on March 16, 2025. This day will go down in history for both men and women in our society. The Abolish 153 ladies remind us that that this article was not shariah-compliant, that one’s gender does not make murder justifiable, and that when men and women are united and when females are respected, our country can evolve from antiquated patriarchal ideals which harm both men and women and tear at the fabric of our society.

These iconic ladies have made history. And their victory should serve as a reminder that we should use our platforms to raise awareness to the causes that awaken our hearts, that we should defend minorities and create inclusive communities where all members are safe, secure, accepted and loved.

Let’s applaud these noble activists and continue to support them as they take Kuwait beyond the threshold of gender disparity and gender-based violence. Thank you to all the members of the Abolish 153 team. And thank you to the Minister of Justice and to our Amir HH Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for raising our collective frequency.

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