Demands to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act in favour of Women

Attorneys in Sri Lanka urged a reassessment of Muslim marriage and divorce law decisions by adopting an inclusive decision-making process, as Muslims in the country have been following the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act established for over 60 years, which were amended from time to time based on societal needs, pointing out that there is still a long way to go to accommodate major reforms that would protect the welfare of Muslim women in the country. On July 19, the Council of Ministers agreed to amend the Civil Procedures Law and allow Muslims to marry under the Marriage Registration Law. However, lawyers demand the need to amend its clauses, which are considered discriminatory towards Muslim women.