The Egyptian parliament has given preliminary approval to a new bill making it easier for women to divorce and to travel abroad without their husband's permission.

At present it is extremely difficult for a woman to end the marriage and she has to prove strong grounds, such as ill treatment.

The bill, which has been extremely controversial in Egypt, now has to be discussed clause by clause before a final vote.

The debate is expected to resume a week on Tuesday.

Article 20 of the bill would allow a woman to obtain a divorce on grounds of incompatibility, as long as she gives up the right to alimony payments and returns her dowry.

The current law only allows a woman to divorce in specific cases such as mistreatment at the hands of her husband, and then only if she can provide proof.

In contrast, a man can divorce his wife simply by saying "I divorce you" three times.

Addressing the parliament, Egypt's top Muslim cleric Sheikh Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi said the bill had been studied "thoroughly" to ensure it was in line with Islamic teachings.

The Prophet Mohammed is said to have told a woman she could leave her husband even though he had done her no harm as long as she returned a garden he had given her.

But BBC correspondent Caroline Hawley says some women have complained that the changes do not go far enough, as they will mainly benefit wealthy women who can afford to pay back the dowry and forgo alimony.

But she adds that many men are outraged by the bill which they see as un-Islamic and a recipe for the disintegration of the family.

One MP said he thought it would lead to more murders of women because, he said, men would not accept having their wives walk out on them.

The law is expected to pass, although almost all of Egypt's MPs are men.