( CNN ) -- As one of the first four female lawmakers ever elected to Kuwait 's parliament , Aseel al-Awadhi knows she has a tough road ahead in the conservative Gulf state 's male-dominated legislature . Rola Dashti is one of four women who won parliamentary seats in the recent elections in Kuwait . Still , victory is sweet . `` Even before the results , people were piling up to congratulate me either from my own district or from other districts , '' al-Awadhi , a university instructor , told CNN Sunday . `` I think that shows you the tremendous amount of support for women 's role in politics , '' she said . `` And I think today I can confidently say that [ the ] gender issue is history in Kuwait -- I mean , regarding women 's role in politics . '' Men have filled the seats of Kuwait 's parliament for nearly five decades , and it was only four years ago that the country granted women the right to vote and run for office . Watch new lawmaker discuss historic win » . But , despite failed attempts in the past two elections , four women -- al-Awadhi , Rola Dashti , Salwa al-Jassar and Masouma al-Mubarak -- won parliamentary seats in Saturday 's general elections . `` The Kuwaiti women have been able to notch up this great victory at a crucial time and set a precedent in the history of Arabian Gulf parliaments , '' Mohammad Al-Feili , a constitutional law professor at Kuwait University , told the official Kuwait News Agency . Two-hundred-and-ten candidates ran for 50 seats in the general election ; 16 were women . Al-Awadhi said the elections proved Kuwaitis want political change . `` Yes , they do , absolutely , '' she said . `` Yes , I mean , this is my second time running for election . I ran last time ... and yes , people were talking about change . But this time , I realized that people are determined -- that they want to achieve change , they want to see change happen . '' The elections were called after the emir , Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah , dissolved parliament , which is made up mostly of opposition politicians . He said he was dissolving parliament to put an end to a crisis that had paralyzed decision-making . The parliament had been locked in a feud with the government , which it accuses of corruption and abuse of power . It has been pressuring the government for the right to question ministers on deals . `` We do n't mean changing the ruling system -- we mean change within the parliament , '' al-Awadhi told CNN . `` Because the parliament has been dominated by certain political groups for years and years . ... Their representation is intense , and their agenda also has been dominating the parliament agenda . `` So I think , when people speak about change , they need change and shifting the attention towards people 's needs and desires . And most of the parliament members during the last several years were not attending to people 's needs and desires . The parliament is made up of elected lawmakers , but ministers are appointed . The al-Sabah family has run Kuwait since it came into existence more than two centuries ago .
NEW : Elected female lawmaker says election shows support for female politicians . Women pick up four seats in parliament for first time ever in Kuwait . Comment: 210 candidates ran for 50 seats in the general election ; 16 were women .