There has been a 48 percent rise in women seeking khula divorces from their husbands this Islamic year compared to the previous year, according to figures released by the Justice Ministry.

Khula involves a woman securing a divorce from her husband by returning part or all of the dowry he gave her when they married. There were 463 court cases this year, compared to 313 the previous year. This Islamic year, 1436AH, ends on Oct. 14.

Makkah had the most cases at 545, the Eastern Province 71, Jazan 56, Al-Qassim 34, Riyadh 26, and the rest in other parts of the country. Riyadh had no cases last year.

Khalid Jelban, a family medicine and community consultant, said many Saudi women seeking khula have run out of patience after staying in their marriages for years because of social pressure.

He said Saudi women have become more confident about their ability to have productive lives and feed their families because they are educated and have jobs.

He said many women have become the sole breadwinners in their families because their husbands have given up this responsibility. Jelban said the increasing divorce rates in the Kingdom are alarming and can have a “serious negative impact on the family, which is considered the core of society.”

Jelban said a solution to this problem is for couples to have counseling before they tie the knot. “Women should also be educated about their rights without feeling oppressed and be empowered to protect their families from any disruptions,” he said.

Lawyer Bayan Zahran said the increasing number of these types of divorces was a result of women becoming more knowledgeable about their rights. She said Makkah had more cases because expatriates have been added to the statistics.

She said women in the past were uneducated and did not know their rights. “Now more women are aware of their rights under Islamic law in Saudi Arabia,” she said.

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