Fears that Egypt's new personal status law might deprive women of their right to control many of their own and their children’s affairs has sparked a national debate and social media campaigns for legislation that is equitable and reflective of modern times.
The bill, which is currently being discussed by parliament, has been criticised by women’s rights groups and others after it was leaked by local media last month.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on the occasion of Mother’s Day this week assured citizens the law will be “balanced for everyone”.
“I want to reassure you that we want to hear from everyone through a societal dialogue that produces conclusions that allow the law to come out in good shape,” President El Sisi said.
He also thanked Al Azhar for proposing a “progressive” draft for the personal status law.
“Al Azhar proposed a draft that is balanced for women and men and, before that, protects children,” Abdelmenam Fouad, dean of Islamic studies at Al Azhar, told The National.
“It will be debated and after it is discussed, according to the constitution, it will return to the Al Azhar Council of Senior Scholars once again,” he said.
According to a draft seen by The National, under article 6 a male guardian could file a case to annul a woman's marriage contract before consummation within a year if he sees the union as unsuitable or the dowry too small.
It also reinforces the right of a man to verbal divorce under article 45 and a father’s position as natural guardian for minors in administrative and financial matters under article 103.
In practice, as is the current case, that means a mother cannot register her child’s birth, access his/her bank accounts or enrol him/her in school.
Activists and lawyers said there were positive proposals as well, including granting emergency alimony to the mother and children, outlawing child marriage, imposing penalties on men who do not inform a new wife of polygamy and prioritising the father in custody before female relatives.
This is a good step because it means there will be a new debate on a personal status law that will be balanced and respects all rights, because in its current form it doesn't respect the rights of women as equal citizens to men
Still, based on some of the more controversial clauses, the Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights (ECWR) rejected the bill as “shocking” and “based on the most regressive and strict jurisprudential ideas”.
ECWR chairwoman Nehad Aboulkomsan appealed to President El Sisi in a video statement to “stop this law that takes Egypt 200 years backwards in women’s rights”.
She welcomed his latest comments, in the hope that community dialogue will serve as a basis for a re-evaluation of the draft.
"This is a good step because it means there will be a new debate on a personal status law that will be balanced and respects all rights, because in its current form it doesn't respect the rights of women as equal citizens to men," Ms Aboulkomsan told The National.
While women now make up a quarter of parliament and there are eight female ministers, gender equity in Egypt still lags behind. The country ranked 134th out of 153 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2020 report.
Egypt’s personal status laws regulating issues of marriage, divorce, child custody, guardianship, inheritance and other family-related matters are largely derived from Sharia (Islamic law). Up until 1920 women could not initiate divorce and it was not until 2000 that they were given the right to initiate non-consensual divorce.
The Egyptian Cabinet approved the new personal status bill in January “in line with the great social development of Egyptian society” and due to “the need to compile the dispersed laws into one legislation”, according to a Facebook statement. A spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. The law needs to be passed by parliament to come into effect.
Shortly after the draft was published, an informal group calling themselves the Egyptian Feminists Campaign started a petition calling for a “unified civil personal status law” that applies to all citizens without religious or gender or any other type of discrimination.
“Today, considering the political and social changes in the lives of Egyptian women, it is a disgrace for Egyptian laws to continue ignoring their lived realities and problems, putting them under the guardianship of men as less than fully capable persons, and creating a grave imbalance between their legal status and their actual role in society”, reads the petition, which has been signed by more than 11,600 people.
On International Women’s Day on March 8, the Women and Memory Forum (WMF) urged Egyptian women to share their stories showing the lack of jurisdiction over themselves and their children under #Guardianship_is_my_right in Arabic. The hashtag has since been used in thousands of tweets and Facebook posts.
Women have shared stories of discrimination, such as being able to deposit money in a child’s bank account, but unable to retrieve money from the same account; not having the right to enrol her children in school without the father’s permission; and not having automatic legal guardianship over her children upon the death of her husband.
“Many people do not easily understand legal language, but they can relate to daily life experiences,” said Amina Elbendary, a member of the WMF board since 2004.
“The hope, of course, is that this will also be reflected in actual official discussions of the draft law and will result in a revision of the document as a whole,” said Ms Elbendary, an associate professor and chair of Arab and Islamic civilisations at The American University in Cairo.
Nada Nashat, advocacy co-ordinator at the Centre for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (Cewla), said there are several negative aspects of the draft, as well as some positive changes.
The draft law under article 191 stipulates that a man must notify his first wife if he marries a second. Otherwise, he could face up to one year in jail and a fine of 20,000 to 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,265 to $3,165).
However, Ms Nashat said it does not set parameters for polygamy, which is allowed in Islam when the wives are treated equally and some scholars argue was a practice established under the unique historical circumstances.
“The proposal assumes polygamy is a right given to men without restrictions – and that’s a problem,” Ms Nashat said.
She also criticised the concept of women needing male guardians and “verbal divorce” for a man.
“That was OK 1,000 years ago. Now in 2021, this cannot pass, it doesn’t make sense,” she said. “We got married through a contract. Then we should get divorced through a contract.”
She said it is possible to adhere to both article 2 of the Egyptian constitution that states that the principles of Sharia are the main source of legislation and article 9 that calls for equal opportunities for all citizens without discrimination.
“Based on the fact that the constitutional articles cannot contradict each other and based also on the fact that within the Islamic scripture we can find arguments and opinions that back us up as feminists and back the equality and justice concept … this draft proposal is against the constitution,” she said.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Long Shot
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogan
Four stars
INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20profile
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Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE BIO
Age: 30
Favourite book: The Power of Habit
Favourite quote: "The world is full of good people, if you cannot find one, be one"
Favourite exercise: The snatch
Favourite colour: Blue
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
The%20Crown%20season%205
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EImelda%20Staunton%2C%20Jonathan%20Pryce%2C%20Lesley%20Manville%2C%20Jonny%20Lee%20Miller%2C%20Dominic%20West%2C%20Elizabeth%20Debicki%2C%20Salim%20Daw%20and%20Khalid%20Abdalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWritten%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPeter%20Morgan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%20stars%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Company%20profile%20
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Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
Race card
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; 5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; 6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES
September 30
South Africa v Australia
Argentina v New Zealand
October 7
South Africa v New Zealand
Argentina v Australia
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
