Ethiopia elects a constituent assembly

Abstract

villages. Formally, the position of women was strengthened by various enactments. For example, the land proclamation gave women equal rights to land. Amendments were made to the Civil Code (of Ethiopian origin) raising to 18 years the eligible age for marriage for both men and women (formerly it was 15 for women), making engagement and marriage contracts valid only with the consent of the couple, naming both father and mother as heads of the family (formerly it was the father only), recognising common law marriage rights for women, etc.