Khaled Al-Fadli

Al-Hayat

 

The increase in the number of divorces in Saudi Arabia has led to the  formation of a society to protect the rights of divorcees and their children. Many Saudi men pronounce divorce recklessly apparently not bothered about the breakup of the family. Many of these men refuse to shoulder  the responsibility of taking care of their children and fulfilling their educational and financial requirements.



Some of these Saudi men pronounce the word divorce like a football commentator repeating the word “goal” in a football match. Divorcees often find that they have no means to raise their children, and there are also cases in which women are subjected to harassment from their estranged husbands. For these reasons, a new society was created to protect the rights of women before and after divorce.



Let us hope that the creation of the new society will play a significant role in putting an end to such situations and guaranteeing the rights of divorcees. The society can also lend a helping hand to the government in drafting new rules and regulations in this regard.



For several years, the government of Saudi Arabia has been striving to develop a legal mechanism for divorce instead of relying on a verbal pronouncement. The judicial authorities want to introduce a mechanism based on legal and written procedures that puts an end to the practice of swift and reckless verbal divorce.



 They are racing against time to rein in the rising tide of divorce cases and to protect as many families as possible from disintegration. The authorities are keen to ensure the rights of women for alimony and child maintenance. According to statistics, 25 percent of marriages in the Kingdom end up in divorce in the very first year and most divorces are reported in the first five years after marriage. Many Saudi houses have at least one divorcee.



 Each one of these divorcees suffers from either psychological problems or financial difficulties. The judiciary and government organizations play a major role in protecting divorcees who suffer from the injustice of their former husbands who deny or delay alimony payments.



 Some divorcees are forced to live for several years without receiving a divorce document. This puts them in a precarious position in which they can neither seek remarriage nor take advantage of the social security schemes offered by the government. Let us hope that the creation of the new society will play a significant role in putting an end to such situations and guaranteeing the rights of divorcees. The society can also lend a helping hand to the government in drafting new rules and regulations in this regard.