The Ugandan Adultery Law discriminates against women.

Uganda's adultery Law has been scrapped by the Constitutional Court because it was deemed unfair in its treatment of men versus women.

The law made it an offence for a married woman to commit adultery but allowed a married man to have an affair with an unmarried woman.

The Attorney General said the move may encourage immorality and promiscuity.

In the same ruling, the court also scrapped parts of the Succession Act which gave more rights to men on the death of their wives, than to widows.

The Attorney General had asked the court to consider amending the law, should it rule in favour of the women's case.

However, the court did not have the mandate to make such amendments, and decided instead to scrap the law completely.

Extramarital affairs are nowlegal.

Principle

Female lawyers had brought the case against the Attorney-General arguing that the constitution provides for principles of non-discrimination and equality before the law.

Under the old law, women found guilty of cheating could be fined or receive a prison sentence.

Property

As it relates to property, the court is also being asked to examine sections of the country's Succession Act which dealt with the division of wealth upon the death of a spouse.

Under that legislation, a husband assumed all the wealth of his wife when she died, but a widow was only entitled to a fraction of her husband's assets.

A father could also appoint a guardian to his child in the event of his death, effectively removing his widow's authority over the child.

The court ruled that these sections of the act were also discriminatory and were thus declared null and void.

Information courtesy of :http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6528869.stm