Wives of the Missing in Syria Fight for Legal Rights
In Syria, antiquated family laws leave wives of the missing with limited rights, as custody and inheritance rest with male relatives. Advocates push for reform to address this gender inequality.
Syria's decades-old family laws have left hundreds of thousands of women and children in a legal limbo, as the wives of the missing struggle to maintain custody of their children and inheritance rights. These outdated laws place custody and inheritance decisions in the hands of male relatives, while also prohibiting remarriage - a significant challenge for women whose husbands have disappeared or are presumed dead during the country's ongoing conflict.
For Maysaa, a 35-year-old mother of three, this legal reality has been a constant source of anguish and uncertainty. Her husband, Fadi, was abducted by an armed group in 2013 and has not been seen or heard from since. Under Syrian law, Maysaa cannot officially declare Fadi dead, leaving her unable to remarry or fully manage the family's finances and assets.
{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}}Source: Deutsche Welle
