Divorce rates are rising year after year, especially in wealthy nations like Russia and Latvia. Picture: Pexels
In today's society, divorce is becoming a more frequent occurrence.
On our social media feeds, news networks and television, we frequently read articles about our favourite celebrity couples calling it quits on their unions and divorcing.
Marriage is waning in popularity, according to a closer examination of the divorce rates in various nations throughout the world. Contrarily, the number of divorces rises every year. What, then, is motivating married couples to end their unions?
Global organisations like the UN keep track of the divorce rates every year. The marriage and divorce statistics are drastically altering, according to data from the UN, for a variety of reasons. Marriage and divorce rates have changed significantly during the past 50 years.
Over the past 50 years, conceptions about gender roles in marriage have changed due to the growth of the women's liberation movement, the sexual revolution, and an increase in women's participation in the labour sector. Cultural norms altered in ways that made cohabitation more likely and less despised being single. Additionally, no-fault divorce laws emerged in many states and a decline in the stigma associated with divorce both led to an increase in divorce rates.
The Covid pandemic in particular, together with recent economic difficulties, have become a major obstacle for marriages across the globe, as evidenced by the soaring divorce rates. To rank the likelihood of becoming divorced in the next 12 months, data researchers at casinoalpha.com have studied international divorce information from official sources from 100 different nations.
Marriage rates have fluctuated over time and are declining annually. The number of marriages that terminated in legal separations is not included in the UN study. According to Mark Machaalani, CEO, solicitor director and co-founder of Unified Lawyers, a famous family law organisation, the following countries have the most divorces per 1 000 residents.
4.7 divorces per 1 000 people in Russia
With 145 912 025 inhabitants, Russia is a sizeable nation with a growing populace. Russia appears to be a prosperous country, however, the country has a significant level of poverty. One-third of Russians divorce because they have little or no money, according to Statista. The lack of communication between couples is the second common cause.
Research by Unified Lawyers shows that divorces in Russia can be either judicial or administrative. You do not have to be formally separated in order to file for divorce, according to the law. The divorce process in Russia is less expensive than in most other nations, and divorcees are permitted to resolve certain matters like the division of property, finances, and child custody agreements separately from the divorce proceedings.
4.2 divorces for per 1 000 residents in Guam
Unexpectedly, Guam is also among the nations with the highest divorce rates. The Catholic churches have resolved to increase their efforts to support intact marriages in response to its increasing divorce rate.
Machaalani maintains that you can apply for either a fault-based divorce or a no-fault divorce in Guam. A no-fault divorce typically results from irreconcilable disagreements and leaves out any mention of your spouse's involvement in the breakdown of the union. When your spouse is to blame for the breakdown of your marriage, you are getting a fault-based divorce. This typically results from a number of circumstances, including: infidelity, abhorrent brutality and the inability to support the family.
3.7 Divorces per 1 000 People in Moldova
Moldova's divorce rate has considerably increased over time. Despite decreasing from 1999 to 2018, it started to grow again in 2019 and later. Unified Laywyers' statistics show that fewer babies are being born and fewer couples are starting families. 50% of all marriages in the nation end in divorce.
According to data, fewer couples are choosing to get married, and more are opting to divorce. With the shortest marriage lasting just one day, Unified Laywers' data revealed that in 2016, more than 10 000 couples got divorced and 22 000 couples got married.
3.4 divorces per 1 000 people in Belarus
Due to its high divorce rate, Belarus has earned the moniker "land of broken marriages", with financial problems being one of the main causes. The marriage decisions made by Belarusians have been impacted by the unpredictable economy.
But we shouldn't put all the blame on the lack of money, says Machaalani. The choice of many Belarusians, particularly women, to wed foreigners outside of Belarus explains the sharp drop in marriage in Belarus.
3.1 divorces per 1 000 people in Latvia
According to Unified Lawyers' data, Latvia has a high rate of divorces, more couples are opting not to have children, and the proportion of single-parent families has increased.
There is no explanation for the high divorce rate in the nation. However, it can be brought on by unstable marriages and Latvians' preference for later marriage, explains Machaalani. In the past, getting married at 18 was commonplace, but nowadays, Latvians prefer to get married around 30.
With barely 1% of marriages ending in divorce historically, India has one of the lowest divorce rates in the world. In Indian culture, marriage is highly regarded, and divorce has always been stigmatised. Due to this, there is now intense social pressure to keep the marriage together, despite challenges.
Additionally, couples in Peru, Vietnam, Guatemala and Malta likewise exhibit a low probability of divorcing.
There is no disputing that divorce is still a major problem in today's society. Since marriage rates are declining, divorce isn't usually the first choice for couples who are having difficulties in their marriage, because most governments are aware of the problem and actively attempting to boost marriage rates.