Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: More protection for female inheritance rights proposed

A member of Saudi Arabia’s consultative Shura Council has proposed criminalising the deprivation of women of their rightful inheritance, as the kingdom is seeking to boost women’s rights.

Iqbal Dirndari said that some women in Saudi Arabia are still denied access to their inheritance shares by their male family members.

“The Islamic Sharia is keen to protect women’s inheritance rights. The state has also made efforts in this domain. However, we still see some women informally deprived of their inheritance shares at the hands of some family males who withhold those shares and give them [women] little or nothing, or force them to stop demanding their rights, or giving them up under coercion,” Iqbal said.

While saying that those cases are limited, she called on the Justice Ministry to put in place measures criminalising the practice including jail and fine penalties against offenders.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has experienced dramatic social and economic changes championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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