Our Blogs

Divorce is on the rise in Kuwait with recent reports having indicated that the number of couples choosing to end their marriage has increased by 16 per cent from 2006. There are now 172 divorces for every 100,000 inhabitants of Kuwait, with social commentators claiming that – as with other countries – the divorce rate is growing as a result of changing social attitudes and the relaxation laws governing divorce and remarriage. Worryingly, nearly 25 per cent of individuals that filed for a divorce in 2011 had been married for less than a year – prompting the country’s authorities to take action. Currently, Kuwaiti couples that are planning to marry are required to undergo tests for hereditary and infectious diseases prior to them being given permission to wed. New proposals have emerged recently, though, suggesting that couples would also be required to attend pre-wedding counselling clinics before they are allowed to elope. Kuwaiti lawyers have suggested, however, that the problem lies with the lack of support that is available to unhappy couples, arguing that dissatisfied spouses in Kuwait are far more likely to discuss their marital problems with friends or family than a qualified marriage counsellor. Both lawyers and government institutions agree that something must be done to curtail Kuwait’s growing divorce rate, with both sides stating that divorce is a disruptive force that creates familial division.