Italian Mums Win Court Battle On Children's Surnames
Sumaira FH Published November 09, 2016 | 01:40 AM
ROME, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -8th nov,2016) : Italian rules which mean children of married couples are automatically given only their father's surname are unlawful, the country's constitutional court ruled Tuesday.
The judgement was welcomed by campaigners as a milestone in a long legal and political battle to overturn regulations and practice they say are based on outdated patriarchal ideas. "The court has declared the unlawfulness of rules providing for the automatic attribution of the paternal surname to legitimate children, when the parents wish otherwise," the court said in a statement.
The court made its judgement in a case referred to it by a Genoa appeals court in which an Italian-Brazilian couple wanted to give their son both their surnames, as is traditional in Spain and much of South America and increasingly common among younger couples in northern Europe and North America.
The couple's lawyers had argued that not allowing the son to have his mother's surname, as well as his father's, violated the principle of equality between the sexes. As the court did not publish its reasoning immediately, there was still a question mark as to whether the case had opened the door to Italian parents being automatically able to give their kids double surnames, or whether the equality requirement could be met by offering only the right to choose between the mother and father's surname.
Campaigners said the court's ruling showed the urgent need for clear legislation after decades of parliamentary stalling on reform. Legislation allowing children to be given their mothers' surnames was first proposed 40 years ago.
A draft bill has since been approved by the Chamber of Deputies but has been blocked for years in the Senate. "The Constitutional Court has taken a decision of great importance for our society," said Democratic Party deputy Fabrizia Giuliani.
"The Senate no longer has any excuse for not abolishing this anachronism and giving women their right in this matter." How quickly things will change remains to be seen. The constitutional court ruled in 2006 that the automatic attribution of paternal surnames was not consistent with the principle of equality between the sexes.
Italy's rules have also been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in 2014 that they could be used to discriminate against women. Neither of those rulings led to reform of either the law or administrative practice.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 5 May 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 05 May 2024
Bugti assures transporters for addressing their problems
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar meets foreign min ..
3 drug peddlers arrested, hashish recovered
1496,990 children given polio drops in five days: DC
Six terrorists killed, hideout busted in N Waziristan IBO: ISPR
Pakistan, Qatar agree to further expand trade, investment ties
Sindh cabinet approves Rs177.5m to strengthen, mobilize various wings of police
Faisal Karim Kundi takes oath as new KP Governor
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Chaudhry seeks more vibrant ..
Tahaffuz Manzil Foster Home providing care & support to homeless children
More Stories From World
-
Teenager turns self in after attack on German politician
17 minutes ago -
Russia says forces seized village in eastern Ukraine
27 minutes ago -
Togo ruling party wins legislative vote in boost for Gnassingbe
57 minutes ago -
Race against time to rescue Brazil flood victims after dozens killed
1 hour ago -
PM expresses condolences on death of Prince Badr Bin Abdul Mohsen
1 hour ago -
Miss Martini aims to bring drag joy to France's Olympic show
1 hour ago
-
'Hypnotised' Wilson into second World Snooker final
2 hours ago -
Golf: US PGA Byron Nelson tournament scores
2 hours ago -
Hamas, Israel, entrench positions at Gaza truce talks
2 hours ago -
Floods in southern Brazil kill 55, force 70,000 from homes
2 hours ago -
Pakistan's Shahzad Baig named among TIME's 2024 list of 100 most influential people in healthcare
3 hours ago -
'Revolution' in air as actor stumps for Hungary opposition
3 hours ago