Muslim
clerics have called on members of parliament not to pass a gender equality
bill. They say the clause, which gives men and women equal inheritance
rights is totally against their religion. In Islam, women receive half of
men's share of inheritance.
Muslim
scholars explained that this is so because, in Islam, men are expected to take
care of women. That goes as far as that even if a woman earns an income, her
husband, or brother, or father is responsible for taking care of her. And since
his responsibility is greater, he gets more of the inheritance than she does,
BBC reports.
The
senate rejected an earlier version
of the bill in March, saying it was incompatible with Nigerian culture
and religious beliefs, though some progress has now been achieved on a watered
down version of the bill.
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