Saudi’s minimum age for marital consent will be set at 18 under laws that regulate family relationships and decide the rights of women and children, it was reported.

Legal sources quoted by Saudi media said under the new law any girl under 18 will not be allowed to marry without a court decision - even if her male guardian has given his consent.

They said the Shoura Council would soon discuss the law before it is sent to the Council of Ministers for final approval.

The sources said the law, which will be issued in the coming few weeks, includes chapters on marriage, separation between husbands and wives, maturity of men and women and inheritance.

It aims to achieve parity between men and women in all aspects of life, the Saudi Gazette reported.

Sources quoted by the newspaper said the law would cancel the right of guardianship of men over women - except in marriages - where Islamic Shariah law allows for this right.

However, it is understood the law will allow a wife to ask for a stipulation in the marriage contract indicating her right to divorce if her husband married another woman. She will also have the right to stay in the marital home in the case of a divorce not being made final.

According to the sources, the new law will describe the relationship between married couples as a “partnership” and not qiwamah (supremacy of men over women) as it used to be.