AYMAN AMIN SHASH

In Egypt a man may unilaterally divorce a wife by declaration and file a signed paper with the authorities. A woman, in contrast, must petition the court, have a hearing, and may be granted a divorce if the court thinks she deserves it under Islamic law. However, the courts are extremely crowded and corrupt. A woman may have to wait two years for a hearing, and since the husband usually has the control of the financial assets, the husbands sometimes bribe the judges to get the verdict they want.

In Egypt a man may unilaterally divorce a wife by declaration and file a signed paper with the authorities. A woman, in contrast, must petition the court, have a hearing, and may be granted a divorce if the court thinks she deserves it under Islamic law. However, the courts are extremely crowded and corrupt. A woman may have to wait two years for a hearing, and since the husband usually has the control of the financial assets, the husbands sometimes bribe the judges to get the verdict they want.