Article 1

Divorce rates in Dubai plummet to 24pc in the space of just two years

The divorce rate in Dubai has become the lowest not only in the UAE but the whole of the Arab world, thanks to a new counselling service offered by the emirate's court service.

Divorce rates have plummeted from 35 per cent to 24 per cent in the space of just two years. It has been attributed to the success of the Reformation and Family Direction Section created by Dubai Courts in 2000 to tackle marital problems.

Wodad Lootah, a social worker at the section said Dubai Courts had set up the section following an increase in divorce rates during the 1990s. She said the main aim was to allow couples to settle disputes amicably without resorting to court action at an early stage.

Since the Reformation and Family Direction Section was established, it has received 1,496 couples who claimed they wanted to divorce. Of these, 471 couples changed their minds and did not divorce - nearly one third.

"The main causes of divorce are lack of understanding between the husband and wife because neither know how to communicate effectively with each other, as well as how to solve their problems in the right way," she said. Wodad added that the section has taken many steps to reduce divorce. It has distributed about 1,200 social packages to newly married couples at the court which has helped in dropping divorce rates by six per cent in the year 2002 alone.

However, it's not all good news, as the Dubai Court has also released figures which describe the unhealthy attitude of many prospective brides and grooms towards marriage. The study shows that only 12 per cent of people prepare themselves properly for their married life together. Instead, the majority focus only on the material needs such as cards, reception venues, honeymoon destinations and preparing their future