In an attempt to keep Saudi women in the loop on decisions their husbands make regarding their marital status, Saudi courts will now notify ex-wives by SMS if their partners divorce them, according to a new regulation that took effect Sunday, officials said.
The measure approved by the justice ministry appears aimed at curbing seemingly rampant cases of men secretly ending marriages without informing their wives.
“Women… will be notified of any changes to their marital status via text message,” the justice ministry said in a statement carried by 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.”
The move comes as de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman spearheads a so-called liberalization drive in the conservative kingdom, which has some of the world’s toughest restrictions on women.
However, the crown prince’s reforms, which include granting women driver’s licenses, have been overshadowed by a wave of arrests of women activists in recent months as the kingdom steps up a crackdown on dissent.
