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| Mali women's rights bill blocked | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The president of Mali has announced that he is not going to sign the country's new family law, instead returning it to parliament for review. | The president of Mali has announced that he is not going to sign the country's new family law, instead returning it to parliament for review. |
| Muslim groups have been protesting against the law, which gives greater rights to women, ever since parliament adopted it at the start of the month. | Muslim groups have been protesting against the law, which gives greater rights to women, ever since parliament adopted it at the start of the month. |
| President Amadou Toumani Toure said he was sending the law back for the sake of national unity. | President Amadou Toumani Toure said he was sending the law back for the sake of national unity. |
| Muslim leaders have said the law is an attack on Islam and traditional values. | Muslim leaders have said the law is an attack on Islam and traditional values. |
| Some of the provisions that have proved controversial give more rights to women. | Some of the provisions that have proved controversial give more rights to women. |
| For example, in the new law women are no longer required to obey their husbands, instead husbands and wives owe each other loyalty and protection. | For example, in the new law women are no longer required to obey their husbands, instead husbands and wives owe each other loyalty and protection. |
| Women get greater inheritance rights, and the minimum age for girls to marry in most circumstances is raised to 18. | Women get greater inheritance rights, and the minimum age for girls to marry in most circumstances is raised to 18. |
| Marriage definition | Marriage definition |
| One of the other key points Muslims have objected to is the fact that marriage is defined as a secular institution. | One of the other key points Muslims have objected to is the fact that marriage is defined as a secular institution. |
| Over the last few weeks Muslim leaders have organised protest after protest around the country, mobilising huge crowds against the law. | Over the last few weeks Muslim leaders have organised protest after protest around the country, mobilising huge crowds against the law. |
| The huge outcry left President Toure with little option: he announced that for the sake of national unity he was sending the law back to parliament for a second reading. | |
| The head of Mali's High Islamic Council says he was pleased with the president's decision. | The head of Mali's High Islamic Council says he was pleased with the president's decision. |
| Women's groups are heartbroken - they have been trying for more than 10 years to get the law changed. |