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Kenya lawmakers refuse to include equal marriage rights for women in constitution

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Kenya's Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) decided Tuesday not to grant women equal marriage rights to men in the new constitution. References to civil society, religious groups, and rights of gays were also omitted as the PSC reviewed recommendations from the Committee of Experts and decided which to include. The PSC, which is composed of members of parliament, will decide between a presidential or a parliamentary system for Kenya, a highly political question. The PSC is expected to spend the rest of the week debating the issues and next week drafting the new constitution. The first draft of the constitution was unveiled in November. The changes are intended to reduce the widespread injustice throughout the country, and specifically address issues that led to violence following the 2007 presidential elections. In October, former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan called for constitutional reform in Kenya before the next electoral cycle begins in 15 months. In 2007, tens of thousands of protesters took to Kenya's streets accusing President Mwai Kibaki of election fraud after early opinion polls suggested rival Raila Odinga was in the lead.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 20, 2010 (boomark / email).