Jordan- Activists rejoice as gov't removes spousal consent provision from passports law 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Women's rights activists on Sunday said they expected a rule preventing married women from obtaining passports without their husbands' approval to be abolished for good during Parliament's second extraordinary session, praising the government's decision to remove it.

The government referred an amended version of the 2012 draft passports law to Parliament for consideration during its extraordinary session, which began on Sunday, excising a clause from the 1969 version of the law that required a husband's consent in order for his wife and children under 18 to obtain a Jordanian passport for the first time.

The clause was first eliminated by the government in 2003 in the form of a temporary law, which never became permanent because it was never passed by Parliament.

This March, the Lower House passed the new draft passports law, adding controversial amendments to grant MPs permanent diplomatic passports. The Senate, however, rejected the amendments, and the government withdrew the draft law in June, saying it would redraft the legislation and present it to Parliament anew.

In the absence of a new permanent law, the 1969 law went back into effect, along with the provision restricting married women's ability to acquire passports.

"This is an important and positive step and a right for Jordanian women and I expect Parliament to pass the law since it has been applied in Jordan for a long time," Jordanian Women's Union President Amneh Zu'bi said.

"I am very optimistic that the Lower House and Upper House will endorse it once it is referred to them for discussion," the senator told The Jordan Times.

Activist Emily Naffa also welcomed the Cabinet's decision to remove the provision, calling it "an important move that further strengthens women's rights in Jordan".

The decision "shows that the government respects women's rights and dignity", Naffa said, adding that she, too, expects the Parliament to endorse the law.

Jordanian National Commission for Women Secretary General Asma Khader agreed, noting that Parliament's failure to pass the law this year was due to matters unrelated to women - referring to the dispute over diplomatic passports."This is a positive indicator from the government that they are serious about advancing women's rights and we are hopeful that the Parliament will pass the law," she said.