CEDAW/C/SR.36 English Page 5 (Mr. Somogyi, Hungary) 17. Under the 1974 Family Law, men and women enjoyed full equality with regard to family rights and responsibilities. They were both free to choose their partners, to marry, divorce, have children of their own or adopt children. Women had the right to choose the name they wished to use, husbands could use the wife's name and the parents decided jointly the name to be given to their children. The two-year difference in the minimum marriage age was a recognition that women matured earlier than men. Marriage was not compulsory at that age. Men and women were fully responsible for the upbringing of their children and custody in the event of divorce was, if possible, decided by the parents, both retaining access to the children. Under current ~gislation, a single person could not adopt a child since the pre-condition for adoption was that the normal development of the child was best ensured by his integration into a two-parent family. 18. The family allowance was paid to families with two or more children and increased with the number of children. The annual amount for each child was equivalent to 25 per cent of the average national income. Abortion was provided free of charge for women over 35 years of age or with more than three children. In all other cases, requests for abortion were reviewed by special committees and it was generally allowed if the woman insisted. Prostitution was prohibited by law. 19. None of the measures to protect women violated men's rights with regard to working conditions, bonuses and allowances and the possibility of being elected to public office. 20. Any further questions by the Committee would be answered in future reports submitted by his Government. He appreciated the Committee's endeavours to ensure an end to discrimination against women everywhere and for the interest shown in the situation of women in Hungary. 21. Ms. CARON, referring to the prohibition banning adoption of children by single persons, said that, a couple which adopted a child might later divorce or one of the partners might die, leaving the child with only one parent. That being so, why should a person who was single not be allowed to adopt a child? 22. Ms. REGENT-LECHOWICZ, Ms. CORTES, Ms. BIRYUKOVA and Ms. PEYTCHEVA congratulated the representative of Hungary on the major advances made by his country in eliminating discrimination against women. The detailed information which he had provided had led to the conclusion that the provisions of the Convention were being fully implemented in Hungary. 23. Ms. EL-FETOUH thanked the representative of Hungary for his statement concerning the social problems of women in Hungary, but reminded the Committee that the question of women was not only social but also economic and political. 24. Mr. SOMOGYI (Hungary) replied that his country, as had been amply demonstrated in his replies, approached the problem of women's rights in its entirety, including its social, economic and political aspects. In response to Ms. Caron's question, he said that a draft law was being considered on the possibility of allowing adoption by a single parent. I .. .