RIYADH — Justice Minister Waleed Al-Samaani has officially inaugurated the first phase of the Nafaqah (alimony) fund, which according to him was launched to expedite the payment of alimony to the beneficiaries without delay. The fund was established last year on an experimental basis to pay money to divorcees whose ex-husbands could not pay them alimony awarded to them by courts. The minister said the fund already started receiving applications for payments from divorced women who had final rulings from courts that they deserved to be paid alimony. He said the launch of the fund was aimed at ensuring the payment to the deserving divorcees and to contribute to the stability of families and society. The minister explained that the first phase of the fund would be paying permanent alimony to the women who had final court ruling but their ex-husbands were not willing to pay though they are not bankrupt. He said in the second phase temporary payments would be made to the women who had preliminary court rulings in their favor but higher courts were considering appeals. In the third phase, interim payments will be made to women who have filed lawsuits at personal affairs courts but their cases are yet to be considered. Samaani said the beneficiaries of the first phase should have final court rulings approved by the Court of Appeals. The fund was established under a decision by the Council of Ministers with a board of directors under the chairmanship of the minister of justice. The board also includes representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the private sector.
