Iraq: Divorce on the Rise, What Are the Reasons?
Iraq's divorce rate has risen noticeably in recent years, as indications suggest a steadily increasing national rate, which is now significantly higher than in previous years.
The phenomenon has become one of the challenges facing Iraqi society in recent years, and many attribute the divorce rise to early marriage, poverty and unemployment, the misuse of the Internet, and many other reasons.
According to the latest official statistics of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council, at the end of last June, divorce rates increased in various Iraqi cities, by 6,330 divorce cases, including 4,660 cases of ratification of external divorce and 1,670 separations by judicial ruling, which means that there are 9 cases of divorce happens every hour.
Divorce in Iraqi Families
The rise in divorce rates in Iraq has begun to be of great concern to civil organizations, jurists, and social researchers, threatening societal stability. Social researchers attribute the increase in divorce rates to government neglect and corruption, which is reflected in Iraqi society in general.
Calls for intervention to solve the problem are increasing every time the Iraqi judiciary announces the statistics on marriage and divorce in the country, the latest of which was this week, Wednesday, August 17, 2022, as the statistics indicate a significant increase in divorce rates.
According to the Supreme Judicial Commission, there were nearly 5,000 divorce cases recorded in July.
The civil courts in 15 governorates (except for the governorates of the Kurdistan region) registered 20,949 marriage contracts while ratifying 4,539 marriage contracts signed outside the court.
The judiciary indicated that 3,550 cases of external divorce attestation were recorded and 1,277 cases of separation by judicial ruling, most of them in the governorates of Baghdad, on both sides of Karkh, Rusafa, Nineveh, and Diyala.
In his interview with Al Araby Al Jadeed, lawyer Muhammad Hussein al-Qaisi said the divorce cases have sharply increased compared to 2021. "The general rate of monthly divorce cases may stabilize at 6000 cases per month."
He believed these numbers are variable as there are no registered cases in villages and rural areas because marriage and divorce occur outside the court.
The woman is the only victim in such cases, and she bears great responsibility without guaranteeing her rights.
Why Still on the Rise?
The recent increase in divorce cases among Iraqi families is due to several reasons, the most important of which are marrying at an early age, being unable to bear material and moral responsibilities, and violence against Women, according to Hamza Guenouni, the researcher at Kent University.
Guenouni told Al-Estiklal that "suddenly, People entered the era of openness with the Internet, satellite channels and smartphones; Iraqi women began comparing themselves to the experiences of women in other parts of the world, trying to draw a new modern image for the woman in the Iraqi society, but unfortunately, this ran into a wall of tribal structures and the general misunderstanding of religion that has been there for centuries."
"So, let me say that the Internet addiction and romantic relationships on Messenger and WhatsApp are also among the important reasons why one-third of marriages end in divorce or separation."
The researcher also pointed to the lack of job opportunities and the poor financial situation that put a lot of psychological pressure on the husband in particular.
"More than two million women are subjected to violence in Iraq, and most of them remain silent in light of restrictive social norms, loss of economic independence, and the inability of the legal system to confront male violence," he added.
"One out of every four women is exposed to violence, whether psychological, physical, sexual or economic abuse."
He continued to say that "the crises that Iraqi society was subjected to in the past have started to reflect a gloomy reality of desperate generations," noting that the divorce and instability are proof of an "immature" society.
Guenouni put the emphasis on public awareness and consciousness, saying: "Being unaware of the rights and duties of the couple on both sides leads to an impasse which results in divorce."
"I should mention an important thing which is the divorce process; in Iraqi courts, it is not complicated at all to get divorced, and this is definitely helping husbands and wives to choose divorce rather than any other solution."
Solutions?
Divorce is one of the social phenomena that civil societies seek to decrease, and it is a serious issue that needs great attention and care. It is attached to the basic social core represented in the family, which is the main building block of any society.
The problem of high divorce cases is exacerbated in conjunction with the waves of poverty that hit several governorates, as well as the social, economic, political, and security problems that the Iraqi people suffer on an ongoing basis, and the government and parties are preoccupied with conflicts without the slightest attempt to address the problems of society.
According to sociologists, the authorities must take their role, and the educational institution must begin to raise awareness of the community as it is the most important link in society.
Pre-marital family courses must be approved, as well, and they should be mandatory for both parties, including the different aspects of marital social, psychological, economic, and legal life.
Hamza Guenouni said that "Malaysia's experience in reducing divorce rates from 30% to 3% came after the adoption of mandatory family courses before marriage," pointing out that family courses represent "immunity" for both men and women from divorce, especially with the possibility of managing their crises and disputes in different ways, which makes divorce the last solution and not the first.
