Landmark Ruling in France Shifts Focus on Marital Rights

A woman blamed for her divorce due to lack of intimacy successfully appealed the decision in the European Court of Human Rights, highlighting issues of women's rights in France. The ruling deemed the French courts' decision a violation of the woman's private life, promoting further dialogue on consent and marital obligations.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has made a landmark ruling in favor of a French woman who was blamed by local courts for her divorce due to an absence of sexual relations. The ruling, publicized on Thursday, centered on the violation of her rights to private and family life.

Identified as Ms. H.W., the woman brought the case forward after exhausting all legal avenues in France. Married in 1984, she later cited health issues and marital discord as reasons for abstaining from marital intimacy since 2004.

The case underscores the urgent need to re-evaluate views on women's rights in France, as amplified by recent high-profile cases of sexual violence. Law changes enhancing the legal framework around consent are already underway, with the French government acknowledging the shift in judicial perspective.

(With inputs from agencies.)