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Divorce can be expensive for Saudi women
by Scott Gilbreath ~ March 31st, 2009
Many Saudi Arabian women seek divorce through khula, a provision of Sharia law that requires the wife to provide financial compensation to her husband. Such compensation can entail repayment of the dowry plus other expenses incurred during the marriage.
Sara, a 32-year-old mother of three children, has been trying to secure a divorce from her husband.
“My case has been in the court for three months,” she said. “My husband is demanding SR50,000 while all I received from him as a dowry was SR30,000.”
[…]
Sara’s brothers offered to help out with the cash, “but it is not fair, they all have families and responsibilities,” she said.“Some men use the khula system to make money on account of women who are willing to pay off their husbands in order to end a troubled marriage,” said Noha, a 28-year-old mother of a four-year-old.
In effect, these Saudi women are forced to pay their husbands to make them go away.
Khula divorce is another example of systemic discrimination faced by Saudi women.
h/t: Mission & Justice
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