The ridiculous anti-women laws around the world that still exist
From rape to honour killings, an array of regulations permit discrimination and violence
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Louise Thomas
Editor
At least 44 countries have laws that discriminate against women, according to women’s advocacy group Equality Now.
From legislation that legalises rape to codes that permit domestic violence, a range of anti-women legislation can still be found on nearly every continent.
Last year, Equality Now launched a campaign against the governments of these nations, asking them review and amend these regulations. Since then, at least five countries have started addressing these issues.
A complete list can be found on the organisation’s website, but a few of the more shocking ones are listed below:
The Bahamas: A man can rape his wife as long as she’s over the age of 14
China: Women are barred from mining and other types of intense physical labour
Egypt: Lesser punishments are given to men who kill their wives upon discovering them in an act of adultery than for other forms of murder
Madagascar: Women are prohibited from working at night, except in family establishments
United Arab Emirates: In cases of both male and female heirs, men inherit twice as much as women
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