By Ghadeer Ghloum

KUWAIT: More women should be working at polling stations to help verify the identities of female voters, the Kuwait Society of National Integrity (Al-Nazaha Society) recommends. The society unveiled its final report and recommendations on the 2023 National Assembly elections in a press conference held Thursday. The Council of Ministers had tasked Al-Nazaha Society to monitor the parliamentary elections, Chairman Mohammed Al-Otaibi said, emphasizing the belief held by the high leadership of the country in the role played by civil society institutions such as Al-Nazaha Society in the monitoring process.

Mohammed Al-Otaibi

Al-Nazaha Society began working on this mission following the call for elections, formulated an action plan, formed field, media and legal teams and had monitored the registration of candidates at the interior ministry’s election headquarters during the 10-day candidate registration period, as well as the disbarment and withdrawal of some candidates through legal teams that had detected the registration processes.

Other recommendations included providing a procedural list for the election law that regulates the voting and counting process, which allows delegates to view the ballot paper, the use of modern technology in the voting and counting process and the establishment of a higher election commission. Young people voted early The society continued to monitor the media campaigns and electoral programs that witnessed lower participation than the previous election due to the small number of candidates.

Despite the fact that these elections came less than a year after the 2022 National Assembly elections, the readiness of the ministry of interior in terms of preparation and organization made the process easier for voters, taking into account the elderly and people with special needs in accessing electoral stations to cast their votes. Al-Nazaha Society also monitored the counting process by committees, the method of dealing with delegates and the speed of vote counting. Otaibi said there was a predominance of young voters in the early hours of election day, which reflects awareness among the youth and their belief in the democratic process and their national role in the election process.

The society also noted the participation of a number of female judges in the election process, which encourages involving women and enabling them to participate. Otaibi thanked HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, who is keen to facilitate all the necessary means for Al-Nazaha Society to carry out its role, which has positive domestic and international implications in front of the international community that also monitors the election process in Kuwait.