(Women Gateway)

Young female foreigners cannot marry Bahrainis above 60 without the approval of the concerned court, according to a new rule. The court would approve the marriage only if general interests of the couples are protected. The new decision comes to safeguard the rights of foreign women who marry elderly out of need. Most of those women become widows before reaching 30 with children to raise and support by their own.

That was highlighted during a workshop on marriage contract held on Tuesday at the state-run Supreme Council for Women (SCW).

The workshop also highlighted that according to the new rule Bahraini women who are less than 20 cannot marry foreigners who are above 50 before getting permission from Shariah court. Females less than 16 cannot get married without filing a legal case asking for permission to get married.

The workshop encouraged youth to have their conditions written in the newly introduced marriage contacts to avoid misunderstanding between couples. In the new contract, man should states if it is his first marriage and if not the name of his first wife should be written. The woman has also the right to put a condition preventing her husband to remarry.

The workshop that was organised in cooperation with Batelco Care Center for Family Violence, brought together around 60 young men and women who will soon get married in addition to representatives of governmental and non governmental organisations. The workshop aimed to enhance awareness about the importance of marriage contracts in avoiding marital conflicts.