Liberals seek law to grant citizenship to children of non-Bahraini fathers
http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10109829.html
03/08/2007 11:54 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: Two liberal political societies yesterday called for the prompt enactment of legislation that would allow Bahraini mothers to pass on their nationality to their children from non-Bahraini fathers.
In separate press statements issued to mark International Women’s Day, the Democratic Progressive Menbar Society and the Democratic National Action Society “Waad” said that the nationality law that now precludes Bahraini women from passing their nationality on to their children should be amended to bring it in line with modern standards.
Liberals seek law to grant citizenship to children of non-Bahraini fathers
http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10109829.html
03/08/2007 11:54 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: Two liberal political societies yesterday called for the prompt enactment of legislation that would allow Bahraini mothers to pass on their nationality to their children from non-Bahraini fathers.
In separate press statements issued to mark International Women’s Day, the Democratic Progressive Menbar Society and the Democratic National Action Society “Waad” said that the nationality law that now precludes Bahraini women from passing their nationality on to their children should be amended to bring it in line with modern standards.
“There is a critical need for an advanced and unified law that would be fair to women and families,” Al Menbar said in reference to the family status law, a major demand of women’s rights activists that has been resisted by conservative religious figures.
But for Waad, the law does not have to be common to both Sunnis and Shiites who make up Bahrain’s society alongside a small number of Christians and Jews.
“We call for the enactment of a law within a framework of national consensus and that takes into consideration the differences between sects,” the leftist society said.
Although radicals have opposed a family law, the notion of a law regulating family matters is well received by Sunnis.
Opposed
But most Shiite leaders have firmly opposed the law, claiming that the parliament was not adequately qualified to issue rulings that could contravene Islamic precepts.
The leaders have said that only the highest Shiite icons could oversee the promulgation of the family law and insisted that the constitution should include a clause or an article that bans the amendment of the law after it is endorsed by the religious icons.
Al Menbar and Waad also called for more rights and equal opportunities for women in education and in improving living standards.
“We need to continue what the pioneering women have started for the sake of national independence, democracy development, social progress and women’s rights,” Al Menbar said. “We need to move forward and continue the struggle.”
According to Waad, political and economic empowerment and access to justice were among the greatest challenges to women.