Married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Married women are required by law to obey their husbands was 0 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0 (1=yes; 0=no)
World rank
171st
of 188 countries
All-time high
1 (1=yes; 0=no)
in 2019
All-time low
0 (1=yes; 0=no)
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2023
Source: Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in (1=yes; 0=no).
Analysis
In 2023, married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia stood at 0 (1=yes; 0=no). That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
Over the whole period, married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia peaked at 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 (1=yes; 0=no), in 1970.
Saudi Arabia ranks 171st of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | (1=yes; 0=no) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1971 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1972 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1973 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1974 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1975 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1976 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1977 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1978 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1979 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1980 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1981 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1982 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1983 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1984 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1985 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1986 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1987 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1988 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1989 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1990 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1991 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1992 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1993 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1994 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1995 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1996 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1997 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1998 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 1999 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2000 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2001 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2002 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2003 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2004 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2005 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2006 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2007 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2008 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2009 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2010 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2011 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2012 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2013 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2014 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2015 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2016 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2017 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2018 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2019 | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
| 2020 | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | — |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0 (1=yes; 0=no) is below the median for high income countries, which is 1 (1=yes; 0=no). (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 10 |
| 2000s | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5 (1=yes; 0=no) | 0 (1=yes; 0=no) | 1 (1=yes; 0=no) | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 171 Afghanistan 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Bahrain 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Brunei 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Djibouti 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Egypt 0 (1=yes; 0=no) compare
- 171 Equatorial Guinea 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Iran 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Iraq 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Jordan 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Kuwait 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Malaysia 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Mali 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Mauritania 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Palestine 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Qatar 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Sudan 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
- 171 Yemen 0 (1=yes; 0=no)
More gender data for Saudi Arabia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 8,519 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.7629 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 28,924 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 28,924 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 275,243 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 288,722 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 275,525 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 288,548 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 263,011 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia?
- Married women are required by law to obey their husbands in Saudi Arabia was 0 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2023, according to Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest married women are required by law to obey their husbands recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 1 (1=yes; 0=no) in 2019.
- What is the lowest married women are required by law to obey their husbands recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 (1=yes; 0=no) in 1970.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for married women are required by law to obey their husbands?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 171st out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Women, Business and the Law; World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Married women are required by law to obey their husbands. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This indicator captures whether family law includes any provision requiring a married woman to obey her husband or penalizing her for disobedience, such as loss of maintenance rights.