Research

Saudi Arabia: New Personal Status Law Codifies Discrimination Against Women

Index Number: MDE 23/6431/2023

One year ago today, on International Women’s Day, Saudi Arabia passed its first Personal Status Law (PSL), which entered into force on 18 June 2022. Prior to that, Saudi Arabia did not have a codified PSL, as matters related to family life were subject to the discretionary application of the rules of Sharia (Islamic law) and interpretations of Islamic texts by a male-dominated judiciary.

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