Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), Hala Al-Ansari, said that the approval of the bicameral National Assembly to scrap Article (353) of the Penal Code is consistent with the recommendations made by the SCW in 2015, based on the Sharia principles that regulate the marital relationship and confirm the freedom of will and consent between the two parties.
She affirmed that the abolition of Article (353) of the Penal Code is in line with the provisions of the Family Law (Article 24- and Article 27), which require consent between the two parties, noting that the move taken by the legislative branch would relieve the affected women of any pressures that may lead them to accept the fait accompli in case of an assault.
Al-Ansari asserted that the abolition of the aforementioned article would contribute to raising the levels of protection for women and enhancing family and social security and stability.
She paid tribute to the Bahrain Women Union and civil society institutions for backing the scrapping of the article and raising awareness of its importance, noting that the decision would ensure the stability of criminal justice and protect the rights of individuals and society alike.
The SCW Secretary-General indicated that the removal of the clause from the Penal Code would support the kingdom’s national efforts to combat violence against women.
It would also reflect positively on the kingdom’s efforts to honour its international commitments regarding the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), she added.
Source: Bahrain News Agency