New Egypt divorce bills should bolster women’s rights

Subject

Proposed amendments to divorce laws.

Significance

The past 20 years have seen a dramatic rise in divorce rates in Egypt, from 1.2 per 1,000 marriages in 1999 to 2.2 in 2015. To reduce the number of divorces, the Ministry of Social Solidary launched a new compulsory programme on college campuses in September 2019, under the name of Mawadda -- which means affection -- to advise young people on how to choose their partners, and introduce them to the legal rights and duties of spouses in Egypt. In addition, new legislation is being drafted to amend the legal framework governing marriage, maintenance and child custody.

Impacts

• Legislation in Egypt put forward by top religous authority Al Azhar could influence other Sunni countries.
• Attempts to restrict polygamy will face wide resistance.
• Banning common law marriage will penalise poorer men who cannot afford high bride prices.