Women's Rights in the Arab World

This working paper offers an overview of the legal status of women in select Arab countries. It addresses the various rights of women: when entering marriage; within marriage; to divorce; maintenance after dissolution of marriage; custody; and the transfer of citizenship to children. The paper begins by explaining Islamic law, its main sources and the status of women living under it. This is followed by a description of the codification of law in Arab states, with an analysis of the contextual importance of Islamic law and customary law. It then clarifies how difficult it is for women to assert their rights, due to their often limited access to the judicial system. The paper concludes with a description of discriminatory legislation in some Arab states, with special reference to the status of Islamic law. This report does not claim to present the complete picture. It is instead an attempt to throw light on sections and examples taken from the very complex subject of women's rights in the Arab world that are relevant to development cooperation.