The Egyptian parliament is considering changes to the law, which aim to improve the rights of women.

The proposals would enable a woman to divorce her husband on the grounds of incompatibility, although she would have to give up her husband's financial suuport.

At present a woman has to prove ill-treatment in court, while the husband can divorce instantaneously.

However, the Egyptian feminist writer Nawal el-Sadaawi, says such a right already exists for women under Islamic sharia law.

In a BBC interview, she said the new law would make only minor changes to simplify the procedure.

Although it's been approved by Egypt's highest religious authorities, many fundamentalists say it will lead to family disintegration. The bill would also make it easier for women to travel abroad without their husbands' permission.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service