12 - 18 July 2001
Issue No.542
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 12 - 18 July 2001 Issue No.542 |
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Free to leave
Several international conventions, and most national constitutions, recognise travel as a basic right. Egyptian women, like their counterparts anywhere in the world, usually have good reason to travel (employment, education, medical care for themselves or for their children); yet for many years a woman could be stopped at the airport simply because her husband had decided to prevent her from leaving the country.
Late last year, the Supreme Constitutional Court found unconstitutional an Interior Ministry decree allowing men to prevent their wives from traveling. This was a great victory, especially since the Interior Ministry decree was often used abusively.
This week, women scored another victory. Until recently, a woman wishing to obtain a passport for herself or her children had to secure her husband's approval. Now, an amendment to Ministry of Interior procedures means that such approval is no longer necessary (at least for the time being). Under personal status law, a husband can still claim that his wife is disobedient if she travels without consulting him or without his approval. He can divorce her and/or apply the law on grounds of disobedience. This, however, is a risk women must take if they value their right to travel. It is certainly preferable to a marriage in which they are stripped of their basic human rights.
Such positive amendments should inspire us to revise other laws that discriminate against women and violate their human rights.
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