Jordan ranks 3rd in divorce rates in Arab world — report

AMMAN — Jordan has the third highest divorce rate out of the Arab countries, according to a report issued by the Egyptian Cabinet Information Centre. 

According to the report, Kuwait ranked first with 48 per cent of all marriages ending in divorce.

Egypt is ranked second place, where divorce rates have increased over the last 50 years to 40 per cent, according to the report. 

Jordan and Qatar have divorce rates of 37.2 per cent and 37 per cent respectively, claiming the third and fourth place, the report said.

Sociologist Hussein Khozahe told The Jordan Times that according to the Department of Statistics, the unemployment rate among married couples in the Kingdom is 24.9 per cent.

“The main reason behind high rates of divorce is the economic factor. Married couples cannot handle the finances and costs of living, especially in the early stages of married life, given that many people are surprised by the size of spending after getting used to living with parents and not spending or contributing to any expenses,” Khozahe said.

He added that others file for divorce due to low wages which make some people unable to support a family.

“Divorce has become an escape from the inability to secure a decent living,” Khozahe said.

According to Khozahe, many couples cannot afford to rent an apartment together, adding that young people also lack awareness of marriage and its responsibility, which can lead to rushing into a marriage which leads to divorce “in most cases”.

“The number of divorces in the first year of marriage is high because the new generation does not have the same perspective of marriage as parents and grandparents in the past, they lack patience,” he said.

According to Khozahe, the Supreme Judge Department is giving educational and awareness courses to those who are about to marry. These courses include various lectures to familiarise couples with all aspects of marriage.

Khozahe described these courses as “a good thing.”

“Lack of knowledge or inability to solve problems, lack of patience and the interference of others in the married couple’s life also play a role in causing divorce,” he said.

Khozahe called on the government to look into the low wages and economic situations of young people to reduce divorce cases in the Kingdom.

“The number of divorce cases remains an indication of the stifling social crises that Arab societies are going through nowadays,” he added.