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Kurdistan, a law proposed banning polygamy
12.3.2007 |
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A
parliamentary committee will present the government
with amendments to the civil code aimed at
guaranteeing equal women’s rights, “in full respect
of Islamic law”; changes to divorce and inheritance
laws also proposed, Muslim leaders condemn the
moves.
March
12, 2007
Erbil,Kurdistan region (Iraq) – The
Parliament of the semi autonomous region of
Kurdistan, in Iraq, is set to discuss a draft law to
reform civil law and ban polygamy.
The proposal is being put forward by the
Parliamentary committee for women’s rights; the news
is being carried on the Kurdish government’s
internet site.
According to the Committee, the amendments “are
based on international agreements and the nature of
the Kurdish community, aimed at securing a new level
of gender equality but still in compliance with
Islamic law”. |
Pakhshan Zangana |
Specialists in sociology
and female activists believe that increasing social,
economic, and political growth in the Iraqi
Kurdistan Region necessitates different kinds of
reforms and changes in prevailing laws.
The civil status code in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region
has been in effect since 1959, but is considered by
female activists as giving more rights to men. In
the case of divorce two thirds of property goes to
the man; if it is the woman who petitions for
separation she automatically renounces her right to
all family belongings.
Pakhshan Abdullah Zangana, who heads the committee
consisting of 10 women and 2 men, said that they
have suggested changes in marriage legislation,
polygamy, divorce, inheritance rights. “We have come
to a conclusion that polygamy is out of place – she
adds - considering the current situation in Iraqi
Kurdistan Region. Moreover, we want to amend divorce
settlements in a way so that when divorce happens,
both parties will get their equal share of household
properties,”
Religious authorities have already branded the
proposed changes regarding polygamy and inheritance
as being “against the principles of Islam”.
“However, - according to the committee - the
proposed bill is still to go to the regional
parliament of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region for
discussion and ratification”.
Abdu Bakir Majid, a lawyer at the Erbil Court,
thinks that the new bill has a good chance to win
the approval of the regional parliament considering
that the constitution of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region
is secular.
asianews it.
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