Jordan: Push for Jordanian women to have right to divorce husbands
Source:
Online Women in Politics Jordan's women are on the way to have the right to divorce their husbands after the Lower House Legal Committee endorsed the Personal Status Law.
The Personal Status Law, which gives women the right to divorce their husbands in return for monetary compensation and widely known as the khuloe law, was previously rejected by the House.
The Senate returned the law for reconsideration by the Lower House committee in preparation for deliberating it on the House floor during this extraordinary session.
President of the Jordanian Women's Union (JWU) Amneh Zu'bi said the legal committee's endorsement of the law means that it will receive support from the Lower House when it comes up for debate.
Zu'bi praised the legal committee's decision, describing it as "a positive step towards accomplishing more future gains for Jordanian women."
"I do not believe it will be heavily attacked because many of the deputies who opposed it the first time changed their minds after meeting with women's groups and listening to their point of view," she added.
Head of the Low House Legal Committee Ghaleb Zu'bi noted the decision represents an important landmark in the country's history with regard to the Personal Status Law, the report said.
"We hope the Lower House will uphold our recommendations because they aim at guaranteeing women the right to divorce as stipulated in the Islamic Sharia," he said.
"I am for this law from a humanitarian, religious, social and ethical point of view because it will solve many problems and will free women who cannot bear to live with their husbands any more," Ghaleb said.
He also said that the committee also upheld a government amendment to raise the legal age of marriage for both men and womento 18 years, with certain exceptions. The previous legal age was 15 for women and 16 for men, according to the report.
President of the Jordanian Women's Union (JWU) Amneh Zu'bi said the legal committee's endorsement of the law means that it will receive support from the Lower House when it comes up for debate.
Zu'bi praised the legal committee's decision, describing it as "a positive step towards accomplishing more future gains for Jordanian women."
"I do not believe it will be heavily attacked because many of the deputies who opposed it the first time changed their minds after meeting with women's groups and listening to their point of view," she added.
Head of the Low House Legal Committee Ghaleb Zu'bi noted the decision represents an important landmark in the country's history with regard to the Personal Status Law, the report said.
"We hope the Lower House will uphold our recommendations because they aim at guaranteeing women the right to divorce as stipulated in the Islamic Sharia," he said.
"I am for this law from a humanitarian, religious, social and ethical point of view because it will solve many problems and will free women who cannot bear to live with their husbands any more," Ghaleb said.
He also said that the committee also upheld a government amendment to raise the legal age of marriage for both men and womento 18 years, with certain exceptions. The previous legal age was 15 for women and 16 for men, according to the report.
