Bahrain: Bahrain government urged to help women abandoned by their husbands

By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: A group of women abandoned by their husbands have called on Bahrain’s decision-makers to help put an end to their "abominable suffering".

The women held a rally in front of the justice and Islamic affairs ministry to press for their demands to have the courts decide without further procrastination on their fate after their husbands deserted them but without divorcing them.

Under the law, the women are still married to husbands whom they did not meet or see for years, a fact that prevents them from starting new lives.

"We urge the King and the parliament to help us with our suffering. We want our rights and we want to regain our dignity," read some of the posters carried by the women and some of their children during the 30-minute demonstration.

Last month, two "abandoned" women protested in front of the ministry requesting the courts to look into their cases and not delay them. Their anger and courage sparked the formation of a larger group of women who were abandoned by their husbands to call for the regularizing of their status. Their demonstration on Tuesday, approved by the interior ministry, was the first in Bahrain’s history.

---Gulf News