Saudi Arabia Approves New Laws on Women’s Rights, Marriage Age, Child Custody
After taking the approval of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has started the implementation of the new Personal Status Law, according to Gulf News.
The approval marks a significant step in Saudi Arabia’s judicial modernization efforts and legal reforms.
Through the 41-article regulation, the Kingdom seeks to support women’s rights, marital laws, as well as child custody provisions.
Unapproved Marriage Contracts
According to the new reforms, unapproved marriage contracts will be subject to a structured review under the leadership of the Minister of Justice and other authorities.
Currently, the ministry has the right to present additional regulations as needed based on evolving judicial applications.
Crucially, the new laws have made it mandatory to obtain official documentation of marriage contracts between non-Muslims even if they share the same nationality.
Annulment Request
The reforms also stipulate that a wife’s right to request an annulment due to conditions preventing marital relations cannot be forfeited simply because she did not take immediate legal action.
Marital Privacy
As for marital privacy, the laws clarify that a couple’s privacy is considered breached if someone capable of understanding and interpreting their relationship is present as an observer.
Child Custody
According to the regulations, a mother retains custody of a child under two years old, even if she gets married again to a man unrelated to the child.
Legal Age of Marriage
Based on the Islamic legislation and the international legal benchmarks, the Kingdom sets the legal age of marriage at 18.
Furthermore, it emphasizes a woman’s right to financial support from her husband and her ability to request annulment under specific conditions.
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