In a government move that comes as part of social and economic reforms known as Vision 2030 being promoted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, women in Saudi Arabia divorced by their husbands will now be sent a text message to inform them of their new status.
The measure approved by the justice ministry is designed to stop the practice of men ending marriages without telling their wives. Oftentimes, divorces registered at courts by men who have not informed their wives — usually referred to as secret divorces — leave women missing out on alimony payments.
“Women … will be notified of any changes to their marital status via text message,” the justice ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run Al-Ekhbariya news channel and other local media. “Women in the kingdom will be able to view documents related to the termination of their marriage contracts through the ministry’s website.”
Bin Salman, the de facto ruler, spearheads a liberalization movement in the conservative kingdom, and is behind some reforms that have included women being given the right to drive.
The kingdom has also allowed women to enter sports stadiums — previously a male-only arena — and is pushing for greater participation of women in the workforce in an effort to diversify its oil-dependent economy.
By: Maytinee Kramer
