It was good to hear statements attributed to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) calling for a comprehensive family card for the husband from the moment of engagement until the end of his marital life in divorce.
Through this registry, the rights of the divorced woman and her children would be strengthened, especially with regards to alimony, custody or visitation rights.
Regrettably, the HRC has denied that it ever tabled such a suggestion, which, if realized, would be a net plus for the rights of women in Saudi Arabia. While the commission may not have any authority to initiate such a plan, it is the commission’s stated goal to improve the situation of women and children in society.
Even if divorced women are able to care for their children, they will always face financial difficulties while their ex-husbands refuse to pitch in money to help pay for the upbringing of the children. The condition of many divorced women in society is not in accordance with proper Islamic behavior. These women must move from one place to another with their children because they have no stable home situation.
Meanwhile, their estranged husbands are living it up with a brand new wife, forgetting their responsibilities. The children raised by single, divorced women won’t get new clothes for Eid, but their fathers will. Some men even inflict harm on their ex-wives and children.
Some divorced women are also robbed of their visitation rights in cases where fathers demand and win custody.
I am not generalizing. It’s fair to say that many men fear God and respect law and order, while some divorced women act wrongly by exaggerating their financial need or using the children to extract money from the fathers who don’t want to be deadbeat dads.
However, it’s the condition of these women that should be improved through the actions of the government, including the HRC. And to protect these rights, officials must go after fathers who shirk their responsibilities or financial obligations. And idea like a registry of men’s former marriages would help keep track of the women and the rights they are entitled to. And what better time to begin than this year, were we should witness a massive awareness campaign in the Kingdom to support women’s rights.
