Divorces up in Dubai…mainly among Emiratis

Divorces in Dubai surged by at least 24 per cent in 2011 and Emiratis accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the total marital splits in the Gulf’s business hub.

Experts attributed the widespread divorce in the emirate and other Gulf countries to lack of marital harmony and common interests as well as social changes which no longer consider divorce as a shame.

“The high divorce rate in the UAE society is a result of the absence of marital harmony and the existence of a wide gap between the spouses on all levels…also, there is no social and economic cohesion nor are there common understandings in many marriages…I believe these understandings are vital although many people consider them as marginal,” said Dr Ahmed al Amoush, dean of the arts and social sciences faculty at Sharjah university.

“A wife normally is concerned with social issues which are of no concern to the husband, who expects from his wife to support him emotionally and morally and to share his daily life concerns and thoughts…I believe the increase in divorce in the past years is also because of social changes as the society no longer considers divorces as a shame,” he told Emirat Alyoum newspaper.

He said the absence of “spiritual and moral concepts” that had characterized marriage in the past has made divorces much easier now.

“Men now are more interested in achieving financial goals than in marriage, which some believe will only restrict his ambitions.”

Figures published by the paper showed total divorces in Dubai increased by around 24.4 per cent to 896 in 2011 from 720 in 2010 while those among Emiratis rose to 307 from 280 cases.

Divorce cases among Emiratis and non-Emiratis grew to 144 from 121 while those among expatriates rose to 445 from 393 in the same period.

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