Sudanese criticize governor's decree on women

KHARTOUM, Sudan (Reuters) -- Sudanese human rights and workers groups lashed out on Wednesday against a decree by the Khartoum state governor barring women from a host of jobs at gas stations, hotels and restaurants.

Governor Mazjoub al-Khalifa issued a decree on Sunday barring women from working in many public places, saying the ban would uphold Islamic sharia law and maintain the honor of women.

The General Union of Sudanese Women criticized the ban.

"It contravenes Sudan's constitution which gives all citizens equality in work without distinction," the statement, quoted on Wednesday by the government-owned al-Anbaa newspaper, said.

Human rights lawyer Ghazi Suleiman, who heads the National Coalition for the Restoration of Democracy, said the decree contravened both the Sudanese constitution and the U.N. Charter, the independent al-Ayam newspaper said.

Suleiman said he would challenge the decree in the constitutional court.

The women's union pointed out that the decree was issued as women graduates were finding it increasingly difficult to get jobs and called on the governor to reconsider.

Taj al Sir Abdun, secretary general of the General Federation of Sudanese Trade Unions, was quoted on Wednesday in the privately owned Akhbar al-Youm newspaper as saying that the federation had received many complaints against the decree.

He also said such decrees might give enemies an opportunity to criticize Islam by saying it restricted women's rights.

There were no statistics available on how many women would lose their jobs because of the decree.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Amnesty International 1999 Annual Report on Sudan
1999 U.S. Department of State, Human Rights Reports for Sudan

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