IRCKHF releases policy paper on marriage contracts

AMMAN — The Information and Research Center — King Hussein Foundation (IRCKHF) released on Tuesday a policy paper and an instruction manual on the optimal use of conditions in a marriage contract.اضافة اعلان

The policy paper and the instruction manual is the culmination of a three-year project, which was launched in cooperation with a consultative committee composed of 22 representatives of the legal and Sharia institutions, including the Ministry of Awqaf, The Department of Supreme Judge, the General Iftaa Department, and others.

The project aims to protect the rights of both spouses, and safeguard a family’s stability through raising awareness of benefits to men and women, and organizing important issues that might constitute an obstacle in their future lives.

The Islamic, or Sharia Law, and the Jordanian Personal Status Law granted spouses the right to include the conditions they deem appropriate in their marriage contract, only if the placed conditions do not contradict the two laws.

But the findings of the survey, which was conducted throughout the program, showed that 34 percent of female respondents, and 41 percent of male respondents are completely unaware that the Personal Status Law No. 15 of 2019 permits spouses to write their conditions in the marriage contract.

It also revealed that customs, traditions, and parents’ refusal are the most prominent reasons that deprive women and men from writing their conditions in the marriage contract.

Consultative Committee member Hayel Daoud said that the core objective of this project is to raise awareness on the provisions of the Personal Status Law No. 15 of 2019, activate the provisions on the stipulations that serve the interest of a spouse, on the condition that they are not contrary to the purpose of the marriage.

Sharia Lawyer Mayson Qara said that the Policy Paper includes several recommendations on legislation, procedures and practices that serve the interests of the society, family and young people.

She stressed the need for men and women to write the conditions in the marriage contract; due to the importance of this step in guaranteeing the rights of both spouses and to avoid any future misunderstanding.

She explained that “it may happen that the wife, for instance, has children from a previous marriage, and that she is then deprived of seeing her children, after her second marriage, because she did not include the condition of caring for the children in the marriage contract.”

The consultative committee recommended that the “Instruction Manual for Intending Spouses” should be adopted by relevant religious agencies due to its importance in enhancing understanding between future spouses, before the marriage contract is concluded. It said that it would maintain the stability of the marriage, and preserve the family from scattering and their children from losing the family bond.