Early marriage and immigration, major factors behind increasing rate of divorce in SDF-controlled areas
In the past few years, the rate of divorce in areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration in north Syria has noticeably increased with a large number of lawsuits related to family disputes being handled in the region’s courthouses.
The most prominent factors behind this phenomenon can be summarised as follows:
- Repercussions of the war: The ongoing war had left negative repercussions on the Syrian society, mainly the increasing rate of poverty, where husbands have become unable to shoulder the cost of living or secure the basic essentials which children need.
- Early marriage: Although many human rights authorities concerned with the rights of women have called for putting an end to the phenomenon of the marriage of minor girls, the circumstances of Syria’s war, illiteracy and dropping out of schools contributed to spreading this phenomenon. Accordingly, family disputes have increased, as couples have become unable to bear responsibility anymore.
- Social media: Despite the countless positive aspects of social media, some husbands and wives have misused social media and communicated with individuals on virtual sites; this, in turn, has fuelled estrangement and created gaps between couples and led to divorce in light of the lack of social and cultural awareness.
- Dreadful living conditions: Many husbands have become unable to should the daily expenses of living or secure the basic needs of his family, especially with the current inflation and skyrocketing prices of essential products.
- The “Woman’s House:” The establishment of the so-called the “Woman’s House,” which supports women and enables them to obtain their rights, in areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration has encouraged women to call for obtaining rights which they never called for previously. According to SOHR sources, women in SDF-controlled areas can file complaints at the “Woman’s House” against their husbands, in the case that the husbands refuse to fulfil their wives’ demands.
- Immigration: Because of the ongoing war in Syria, many husbands have found themselves obligated to leave to Europe, abandoning their families and wives. Traditions and customs of societies in Europe are completely different from those in Syria, which cools the relations and feelings between couples and leads to divorce. In addition, husbands, on some occasions, found themselves forced to leave their Syrian wives and marry foreign women to stay legally in some European countries whose laws prevent a man from having more than one wife.
Speaking to SOHR, a feminist activist known by her initials as N. J. says that she closely follows up cases related to girls who are about to marry and wives who are in troubles with their husbands, confirming that many minor girls have been forced to marry. The activist says that she documented many cases of marriage of minor girls, where weddings are held secretly, before the two families publicly announce such marriages when girls reach legal age of marriage, or they head to regime-controlled areas in Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli. The activist also commented on the increasing cases of divorce in SDF-controlled areas in the past three years, saying “there are many family disagreements, mostly followed disputes over relations, whether by husbands or wives, with strangers on social media.”
On the other hand, a man known as A. M. says that many husbands have immigrated to other countries after their marriage, some left Syria a few months after their marriage, hoping to find a safe haven where he can start procedures for family reunification. However, they have fallen in love with foreign women and abandoned their wives. Other husbands managed to bring their wives to their countries of refuge, but later they engaged into disagreements which led them to divorce. I witnessed some cases of young men living in Germany, who have proposed to marry girls in Syria, but when they helped the girls to come to Germany, the girls stayed with other guys they knew previously.
It is worth noting that cases of divorce have been increased in all zones of influence across Syria, because of killing, frequent displacement and many other factors which have contributed to family breakdowns for over more a decade of the war.