TUNIS (Reuters) - Hundreds of women took to the streets in the Tunisian capital on Saturday to demand equal inheritance rights as men, a subject often seen as taboo in the Arab world.
Protesters shout slogans during a march, demanding equal inheritance rights for women, in Tunis, Tunisia March 10, 2018. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
The North African Muslim country grants women more rights than other countries in the region, and since last year has allowed Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men.
But the protestors marching to the parliament building in Tunis on Saturday said they wanted to be compared with European women and to be entitled to the same inheritance rights.
Joined by some men, they carried slogans such as “In a civil state I take exactly what you take”, demanding an end to inheritance laws based on Islamic law. This usually grants men the double of what women get.
Protesters shout slogans during a march, demanding equal inheritance rights for women, in Tunis, Tunisia March 10, 2018. The placard (L) reads "The Constitution is equal for all citizens". REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
“It is true that Tunisian women have more rights compared to other Arab women but we want to be compared with European women,” said Kaouther Boulila, an activist.
In August, President Beji Caid Essbsi, a secular politician, set up a committee to draft proposals to advance women’s rights.
Tunisia has been hailed as the only “Arab spring” success story following political freedoms introduced after the ousting of autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
Economic growth has been disappointing, however, with high unemployment driving many young Tunisians who had joined the uprising, abroad.
saiaf on March 11st, 2018 at 03:32 UTC »
In Islam the reason the inheritance is double for men is they are obligated to work and provide for their wife and the family whereas all the money the wife makes can be kept for herself. It's considered a sin for men if they don't provide, but not for women. If the husband and wife have an agreement to switch roles then it is allowed or if they both wish to work, that is allowed as well. The rule is there as a baseline and is followed but there can be exceptions depending on the situation. Some of you might downvote this because you don't like the answer but I am just informing you of why that Islamic law is the way it is.
NosDarkly on March 11st, 2018 at 00:14 UTC »
Granting women a half share of inheritance was progressive at the time, but 1400 or so years have passed, so now not so much.
Kringspier_Des_Heren on March 10th, 2018 at 23:23 UTC »
I always wonder how laws like this go, like is there a legal definition of "Muslim" courts operate on? Does a judge just rule whether someone is Muslim or are you just Muslim when you claim you are Muslim?