Draft Law Submitted To Make Men Prove Eligibility Before Marriage

A women’s rights organisation has the nation virally buzzing after announcing that they have submitted to court a draft law on personal affairs that would require men to supply proof of their eligibility to a court before getting married.

According to Al-Masry Al-Youm, the draft law was prepared by the Centre for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance, and stipulates that a man wishing to get married would need to "file a court request attesting to his financial and health eligibility for marriage." Allegedly, addressed during the same court session, the document also mentioned that men would be required to declare if they plan on marrying more than one wife, as Islam permits up to four wives.

According to a statement released by the center on Monday, “Our objective is a law that protects everybody and that simply stands up for those who have rights to claim, without violating Islamic Sharia or the Egyptian Constitution.”

The centre states that the draft law submitted has been part of a six-month media campaign to promote amendments to the 1920 personal status law, and will attempt to highlight problems that exist within the current law.