UAE: Couple divorced within 24 hours marks shortest marriage last year

A couple that divorced just one day after tying the knot was the shortest marriage recorded in the UAE during last year. An expat couple who separated after 47 years was the longest marriage registered in the same period.

These cases were among the 648 divorce cases recorded in the UAE in 2021, according to the latest figures issued by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

The statistics revealed that 311 divorce cases involved Emirati couples, while 194 were for expat couples. Fifteen divorce cases were between female citizens and non-citizens.

Federal courts registered the divorces in the emirate of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.

According to the MoJ, the total number of marriages registered in those emirates during last year was 4,542.

Authorities said some of these marriages lasted for one day to 15 days as couples filed for divorce due to various reasons before even spending a month in marriage.

Officials also registered a number of divorce cases where couples had spent a long period of time in marriage before they separated. These included an expatriate couple who filed for divorce after 47 years in marriage, while several other couples divorced after staying married for more than 30 years.

Family counsellors and psychologists in UAE have cited infidelity or extra-marital affairs, lack of preparation and commitment, poor or lack of communication, physical and verbal abuse, social media, failure to assume responsibilities by either of the spouses, and unrealistic expectations are some of the main reasons for early divorces in the UAE.

Dr Dolly Habbal, a clinical psychologist working with Advanced Cure, had earlier told Khaleej Times that many marriages end in divorce because of a lack of commitment to the marriage and responsibility.

"Many people prepare for the wedding and not marriage. When partners are not committed to each other, they may fail to put enough effort into their relationship, and with time, it may weaken the connection between them and lead to divorce," she said.

"When you are in a committed relationship, you need to reassess your priorities and to think about both of you and not only you."

Habbal also cited incompatibility and differences in mentality and personality as another reason for early divorces. She said this leads to continuous fights and arguments as each of the spouses want to prove that they are right and the other is wrong instead of engaging in a genuine confrontation and making compromises.

"Some marriages also break up because of infidelity or extra-marital affairs. One of the partners being unfaithful can lead to divorce as many people cannot tolerate cheating. Infidelity is a bad habit in a marriage," she said.

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Dhirar Belhoul Al Falasi, a member of the Federal National Council (FNC), earlier said couples must be educated on marriage affairs before they tie the knot so as to reduce divorce rates in the country.

He highlighted the efforts made by the Watani Al Emarat Foundation in educating couples and other community members about the role of the family in community service and the importance of promoting the values of respect for elders, the culture of family counselling and family compassion.

"We must be inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan for the importance he attached to preserving national, societal and family values. We should go back to our culture like in the past, which involved an extended and large family because of its great role in establishing values, ethics and right behaviours among new couples," said Al Falasi.

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