Kuwait Army's First Female Officers Take Oath

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Wednesday, 17 June 2026

The first cohort of female Kuwaiti university graduates to join the Kuwaiti Army as officers has legally sworn their allegiance to the State, after the Amiri decree appointed them to military service.

In a ceremony attended by senior military leaders, the Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Sabah conferred the military rank of the graduates to them after reading the Amiri decree. Then the new officers were sworn in and started their service in the Armed Forces.

The Minister of Defense extended his congratulations to the graduates calling the royal trust bestowed upon them by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, a great national responsibility.

He noted that the recruitment of women officers is a vital move to support Kuwaiti women in the Armed Forces and is part of the Armed Forces' efforts to tap into the country's qualified manpower resources.

Sheikh Abdullah said that the new officers will be a qualitative addition to the Kuwaiti Army, to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of military duties and responsibilities.

He also advised the graduates about the importance of being disciplined, sincere and dedicated to further enhancing their scientific and practical skills and contribute to the country's development and security and stability.

Key Highlights:

• Kuwait commissions its first female Army officers
• New officers officially join the Armed Forces after taking the oath
• The move boosts women's participation in military leadership

Lieutenant General Khaled Al-Shuraian, Deputy Chief of the General Staff Major General Pilot Sabah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and other high-ranking army officials attended the ceremony.

The first female officers' appointments represent a historic change in Kuwait's military establishment, and indicate continuing efforts to increase women's involvement in national institutions and leadership.

The commissioning of the first female officers follows just under a year since the Kuwaiti Army opened up to women university graduates to become officer cadets. This was seen as a historic reform to increase the opportunities for women in the country's Armed Forces and draw high quality individuals to the Armed Forces.

Military officials have said previously that integrating women into officer positions is in keeping with the modernization of the armed forces and broadening of institutional capacities with a wider and more diverse talent pool. Selection for officer training programs was based on rigorous academic, medical, and military requirements.

The development is also reflective of a broader trend in Kuwait where women are increasingly playing leadership and professional roles in Government institutions such as education, healthcare, law enforcement and public administration. Increased presence of women in national institutions can help make them more effective and provide new opportunities for public service, supporters of the endeavor argue.

The appointment is seen as a crucial development in the development of the Kuwaiti military. It is also a symbolic gesture that will promote the recruitment of more skilled women to join the armed forces and the country's national security, thereby fostering a more inclusive future of the country's armed forces.