For Christians, couples must commit to common life and cooperation, union, cohabitation, maintaining mutual respect and integrity in addition to teaching their children religious and moral values. A husband is supposed to support his wife and children since he is considered the family’s breadwinner.

As for wives, their obligations vary between communities. They have for example to:

• Be named after their husbands (Greek Orthodox and Assyrian Orthodox churches).
• Support their husband where he is in need and lacks revenue (Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Assyrian Orthodox and Evangelical churches).
• Refrain from exercising any job without her husband’s approval (Armenian Orthodox church).