(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Syrian People's Assembly has approved on Wednesday an amendment of the Personal Status Law, modifying articles issued in 1950.
The amendments included several points affecting marital and family relations, most notably raising the age of marriage eligibility for girls to the age of 18 where the guardian's approval is no more required and it's up to the judge.
The guardian cannot marry his daughter off to someone without her overt consent even if he has a power of attorney by her. Age of marriage was raised to 18 after it was 17. Guardianship of underage children goes to the wife following her husband. Custody goes to the father after the mother and then to the maternal grandmother after it used to go directly to the maternal grandmother, according to the State-run Syrian News Agency (SANA).
Last February, the Peoples’ Assembly approved amendments for 60 articles in the Personal Status Law that allowed each of the spouses can include his/her own terms in the marriage contract, which does not contradict Sharia or law- examples of terms can be a second marriage, travel, rejection of residing with a second wife and children of a daughter have the right of will similar to children of a son, SANA reported.
The modifications allow spouses to have the right of separation when there are compelling reasons.
If a husband abandons his wife she could ask for divorce. A conditioned divorce is considered a rescission contract not a divorce.
Several parliamentarians saw that the amendment of the Personal Law is a positive step on the course of giving women their rights and achieving gender equality.
Zaman Al Wasl
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