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| Mali women's rights bill blocked | Mali women's rights bill blocked |
| (about 1 hour 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 called the law the work of the devil and against Islam. | |
| The vast majority of Mali's population is Muslim. | |
| 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, under the new law women are no longer required to obey their husbands, instead husbands and wives owe each other loyalty and protection. | For example, under the new law women are no longer required to obey their husbands, instead husbands and wives owe each other loyalty and protection. |
| I have taken this decision... to ensure calm and a peaceful society, and to obtain the support and understanding of our fellow citizens President Amadou Toumani Toure | |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Tens of thousands have turned out at protests in Bamako in recent weeks and there have been other demonstrations against the law across the country. | |
| It is a political defeat for President Toure, who was a strong backer of the new law. | |
| It has only been the continuing angry protests by Muslim groups that have forced him to send the law back to parliament. | |
| In his statement on national television the president was forced to admit that the population is yet to be convinced by the new code. | |
| "After extensive consultations with the various state institutions, with civil society, with the religious community and the legal profession, I have taken this decision to send the family code for a second reading to ensure calm and a peaceful society, and to obtain the support and understanding of our fellow citizens." | |
| It was clear from his speech that the president also thinks there has been a lot of false information circulating about the code and the government will no doubt also try to address this in the coming weeks. | |
| 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. | Women's groups are heartbroken - they have been trying for more than 10 years to get the law changed. |