Divorce rates soar in UAE due to lack of 'guidance and advice' for young couples

Divorce rates have dramatically risen in the UAE over the past two years, according to new figures released by a local statistics organisation. Analysts have said the increase in marital separation stems from young couples not receiving the right type of “advice and guidance” on how to maintain a happy married life.

The Dubai Statistic Centre said the number of divorces has risen 40 percent from 2011 to 2013 in Dubai. There were 1,255 divorce certificates issued in 2013, compared to 896 in 2011.

The UAE is home to over 200 nationalities and is a hub of international business and enterprise, where marriages between people of differing backgrounds are commonplace. The spike in separations has been most among these non-Emirati couples, with divorce cases increasing by 62 percent in the two years from 2011.

Analysts explained the rise was down to a lack of family and friends being around married couples, who generally have left them behind to find work in the UAE.

“One of the most common reasons for the increase in number of divorces, especially between young couples, is the lack of social support network,” Dr Mary John, psychologist at Dubai Clinical Health Centre, told Gulf News. “The real danger lies when friends start to give the wrong type of advice, and couples are under pressure,” she added.

John pointed to a shift in the concept of marriage among the younger generation as a reason for the increased level of divorces, as well as a clash of personalities.

“The values of marriage are breaking down and most youngsters do not want to get married anymore and look at commitment as a big issue,” she said. “These are [some] reasons that can lead to divorce, but the strongest and most common factor in marriage break-ups is having a third person in the equation.”

“When people are dating, they are attracted to several qualities in the other person and these exact qualities can sometimes become the very reasons that cause arguments once they are married,” the psychologist explained. “Having said that, there are many marriages that end in the first year and some that even end after 25 years.”

The divorce process itself has come under scrutiny in the UAE, where a number of high-profile cases have led to criticism of the country’s Sharia court system.

A British national was convicted of kidnapping her own son during a divorce case in Dubai earlier in the year, after more than four years of trying to leave the country, during which time she said authorities failed to investigate allegations of domestic abuse carried out by her now ex-husband.

Afsana Lachaux has returned to the UK where she has not had any contact with her young son, who is in the custody of her alleged abuser. A Sharia court took away custody of the boy earlier in the year, as Lachaux had failed “to obey” her then husband.

Human rights groups have called on the UAE to properly investigate allegations of domestic abuse and urged authorities to give women fair hearings in custody battles.

“First of all, it’s the duty of the UAE to investigate and prosecute instances of domestic violence,” Nick McGeehan, Gulf researcher at Human Rights Watch, told the BBC earlier this month. “Secondly, it has a duty to provide women in custody hearings with a fair trial and to ensure the decisions in those custody hearings are in the best interests of the child.”

“If you don’t do the first part of that equation, it is impossible for you to do the second,” he added.