RIYADH (Web Desk) – Saudi courts handled cases in 2014 involving 755 women suing their fathers for preventing them from marrying, according to official data.
The western town of Makkah topped the list, with its courts handling 272 cases, more than a third of the total.
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It was followed by the capital Riyadh, with 190 cases, the Justice Ministry said in a report published by the Arabic language daily ‘Al Madina’.
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There were also 104 cases in the eastern province, 76 cases in the southern Asir province and 28 cases in the northwestern town of Tabuk.
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There are more than four million spinsters in Saudi Arabia, compared to 1.5 million in 2010.
The high costs of marrying Saudi women is the main reason for Saudi men’s decision not to marry Saudi women.
Also the cost of wedding has increased noticeably in the past few years, especially rents of wedding halls.
The third main reason is unemployment rates among Saudi men, which has increased considerably over the last few years.