https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ Theses Digitisation: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/research/enlighten/theses/digitisation/ This is a digitised version of the original print thesis. Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] THE LEGAL POSITION OF THE ALGERIAN WOMAN UNDER THE ALGERIAN FAMILY LAW CODE OF 1984 IN A COMPARATIVE FRAMEWORK BY MOHAMED BOUMEDIENE ( LICENCE EN DROIT) A Thesis Submitted In Fulfillment Of The Requirements For The Award Of The Degree Of Master Of Laws. Faculty Of Law And Financial Studies University Of Glasgow February 1990 (C) M. BOUMEDIENE 1990 ProQuest Number: 10970981 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10970981 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 To my parents, brothers and sisters, and to my friend M. Benhariga and his family i SUMMARY This thesis attempts to examine the main criticised aspects of the Algerian Family Code of 1984, on the assumption that the Code has not improved the legal position of the Algerian Woman. In order to draw a coherent picture of those criticised aspects it is considered appropriate to compare them with their equivalents in other legal systems. Before doing that, however, it is essential to determine some perspectives such as family and marriage, and to manifest some characteristics of the Algerian family and the Algerian woman. This is done in chapter one. Chapter two aims to set out some of those aspects related to the woman and the marriage contract, and show whether it is necessary to establish a difference between males and females in breach of promise of marriage, age of marriage, and parental consent and matrimonial guardianship. Chapter three discusses the rights and duties of the wife, and shows which of these rights and duties are the same as those of the husband, and which are different. The modem trend in western legal systems is to accept equal rights and duties between husband and wife, whereas in Islamic law and Algerian law, due to certain perspectives and circumstances, some rights and duties are still different between husband and wife, such as maintenance, dower and head of the family. Chapter four examines the role of the woman in divorce by mutual agreement and in divorce by the wife’s initiative, on grounds which are often assumed to be limited. This study will show that the grounds on which the wife can claim divorce are not limited, and that the court should have the power to decide divorce in Khula when the wife wants it. AKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe a great debt of gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Orucu the head of the Department of Jurisprudence for her academic guidance, valuable comments, and continuous understanding and encouragement, in undertaking the writing of this thesis. She spared no time or effort in advising me and I have learned a great deal from her. My thanks go to Ms. Attwool, Dr. Borrows and Prof. Campbell of the Department and all the staff of the School of Law. I would also like to thank Mr. McGhie of private law for his guidance on Scots law. I am indebted to the Algerian Government and the Ministry of Education for financial support. My thanks also go to the staff of Glasgow University Library and Law Work Shop for their assistance. My parents, my brothers and sisters, and my friends M. Benhariga and L. Kamil, must also be commended for their seemingly unending patience and their unlimited support which contributed in no small part to the completion of this thesis. CONTENTS Summary.......................... i Aknowledgements ................ ii Contents............................................................... Aii INTEOBUCTION ..1 CHAFFEE ONE BETEEMMATFION ©F SOME PEESPECTIVES Introduction:.............. 4 SECTION ONE A FEESIPECHWE OE THE FAMILY ANB MAEEIAQE I- Family: ................................................. .....5 II- Marriage: .......... 11 III- Dissolution ©f marriage: ........................... 15 SECTION TWO THE EFFECTS OF COLONISATION ON THE ALCEEIAN FAMILY 18 I- Naimarali$aiti©m: .................................................................... 19 II- Fr©sitiitMi©n:..................................................................................... 22 III- Mixed marriage: .............................................................................................25 Conclusion: ................................ 28 CHAFFEE TWO H E WOMAN ANB THE MAEEIAGE CONTEACT Introduction:........................... ....30 SECTION ONE EEEACH OF PEOMISE OF MAEEIAGE ............................ .....31 Damages for breach of promise:.. ............. .37 SECTION TWO AGE OF MAEEIAGE Introduction: .................................. 45 I- The view of religions lam on the lim r's marriage:......... ..................47 H- A historical background of some modem laws:..................................... 49 A- French law:............. 49 B- English law:........... ............................................................................................. 51 C- Scots law:........................... ..................................... ..................................... ......55 D- Algerian law:....................................................................................................56 HI- Is there a right age for marriage?:.............................................. 58 IV- Should there be a different age for males and females? ......... 65 V- Validation of under-age marriage:................. 67 A- The absolute minimum age:................................... 67 B- The nominal (flexible) minimum age:..................................................................69 SECTION THEEE FAEENTAL CONSENT ANB MATEIMONIAL GUAEBIAN I- Parental consent:......................... .....................................................................73 H- The matrimonial guardianship:.................................................................... 79 Conclusion:................................................................................................................... 88 V CHAFFEE THEEE THE WIFE® § EIGHTS ANB BUTIES Introduction:...................................................................... 90 SECTION ONE ALIMONY I- Definition:............................................................................... 92 H- Subjects of alimentary obligation:....................................... ..97 A- Aliment between persons other than the spouses:..................................... 98 B- Aliment between spouses: ...................................................... 100 1- During the common life of the spouses: —................................ .......101 2- After cessation of life in common:......................... 104 a- Absence or disappearance:............................... - - .......... 104 b- Separation:......... 105 c- Divorce:....... 105 d- Death and nullity of marriage:..................... 107 HI- Tie object of alimentary obligation:.......... 109 A- The content of the aliment:.......................................... .........——.................... 109 B- The quantum of the aliment:--........................................*............................... H2 IV- Tbe execution of tbe aliment:............................................ —- ...............H7 A- Voluntary execution:.................................................................. *......................H7 B- Execution by civil enforcement:......................................................................H7 C- Execution by penal enforcement:...... 120 D- Dissolution of marriage by failure to provide maintenance:.................. 121 Conclusion:........................................ 122 vi SECTION TWO BO WEE I- Tbe legal backgronnd:--- •••........ 123 'II- Tbe object of A- The quality of dower: • ...•r * -* .......... ...127 B- The quantity of dower:................ 1^8 C- The classification of dower:................................................................ 131 1- The specified and the equivalent dower: .................................. 131 2- The prompt and deferred dower:............................. 134 III-Tbe wife's entitlement to the dower:-——...................... 132 A- The wife's entitlement to the whole dower:.....—.......................... *,.......... 132 B- The wife's entitlement to half of the dower:............................................... 140 IV- Disputes over tbe dower:....*.......— .......................................................141