When you get divorced, it usually takes a while.

There are endless meetings with lawyers, the division of assets, custody hearings and paperwork to file before you can officially go back to being single.

This is not the case in Saudi Arabia.

According to Sharia law, a man can divorce his wife by stating “I divorce you” three times and then filing the divorce at the courts.

As such, it’s possible for a man to divorce his wife without her knowing. This is not only a dick move, but also one that leaves the woman in question with no way of asserting her rights – a problem that courts in Saudi Arabia are now trying to remedy, reports CNN.

Women in Saudi Arabia divorced by their husbands will now be sent a text message to inform them of their new status.

The move is designed to stop the practice of men ending marriages without telling their wives.

The Saudi courts started to send such notifications Sunday in “a step aimed at protecting the rights of female clients, and enhancing digital transformation with more services,” the country’s Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

The message will include the divorce certificate number and the name of the court where women can pick up the documentation.

The government move comes as part of social and economic reforms known as Vision 2030 being promoted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The reforms have included women being given the right to drive.

Bin Salaman looked like he was going to be the guy to take Saudi Arabia into the future, until the horrific murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last October.

While the divorce texts are definitely a step in the right direction, Saudi Arabia still has a long way to go.

[source:cnn]