The Jordanian House of Representatives has rejected a draft proposal on Tuesday, December 11, to drop non-Muslim female guardians’ right to the custody of a child who is over the age of seven.

Article 172 of an Interim Bill of the Civil Status Law discussed the proposal at the Lower House, which stipulated that “Non-Muslim female guardians should not be entitled to the custody of a child who has exceeded the age of seven.”

Advisor to the Chief Justice, Ashraf al-Omari, said that a Sharia Judge will have the final say in whether the child will remain in the custody of their female guardian.