Family
Marriage law reformed in 2019 to abolish the husband's status as head of household
Loi n° 2019-570 on marriage removed the designation of the husband as chef de famille, giving spouses joint authority, and set a uniform marriage age of 18. Polygamy has been prohibited since 1964. Loi n° 2019-572 reformed succession.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Tribunal de première instance in family matters; only civil marriage has legal effect.
- Deadline — Birth registration: three months
- Deadline — Divorce: judicial, with a conciliation attempt required
Governing law
- Loi n° 2019-570 du 26 juin 2019 relative au mariage
- Loi n° 2019-572 relative aux successions
- Loi n° 64-375 du 7 octobre 1964 relative au mariageprohibiting polygamy
In practice
Côte d'Ivoire prohibited polygamy in 1964, unusually early for the region, but the 2019 reforms addressed a subtler inequality: the Code had made the husband head of household with decisive authority over the matrimonial home and children. The 2019 Act replaced that with joint management, and the parallel succession statute equalised the position of surviving spouses.