(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, APRIL 27 - A rumour that Egypt's
Islamic-dominated parliament was preparing two bills relating to
women has for days now been giving rise to controversy and
concern on the social networks and in the country's media.
One of the proposed laws would have reduced the minimum age for marrying for girls from the present 18 to 14 and the other would have allowed a husband to enjoy sexual relations with a deceased wife within six hours of her death. Daily paper Al Ahram wrote that the head of the National Council for Women, Mervat el Talawi, had appealed to the Speaker of the House, Saad el Katatni, to ensure that these proposals, which reduce women's rights, are not approved. According to daily paper El Talawi, Ms Talawi emphasized how the marginalization and reduction in status of women in Egypt would have repercussions on the country's overall development, given that women are half of the population. The Islam-inspired movements have recently attacked the Council of women, maintaining that it wishes to destroy the family. Having increased in strength following the January revolution, these movements have also aimed at Egypt's divorce law, that allows women to be granted a divorce despite obstacles set up by the husband. They have argued that all of this legislation has been the product of First Lady Suzanne Mubarak.
(ANSAmed).
One of the proposed laws would have reduced the minimum age for marrying for girls from the present 18 to 14 and the other would have allowed a husband to enjoy sexual relations with a deceased wife within six hours of her death. Daily paper Al Ahram wrote that the head of the National Council for Women, Mervat el Talawi, had appealed to the Speaker of the House, Saad el Katatni, to ensure that these proposals, which reduce women's rights, are not approved. According to daily paper El Talawi, Ms Talawi emphasized how the marginalization and reduction in status of women in Egypt would have repercussions on the country's overall development, given that women are half of the population. The Islam-inspired movements have recently attacked the Council of women, maintaining that it wishes to destroy the family. Having increased in strength following the January revolution, these movements have also aimed at Egypt's divorce law, that allows women to be granted a divorce despite obstacles set up by the husband. They have argued that all of this legislation has been the product of First Lady Suzanne Mubarak.
(ANSAmed).
