Divorce rates fall as courts introduce counselling centre

Counselling couples through marital problems and offering guidance has been credited for a 7 per cent decrease in divorces among Emiratis in Dubai.

The counsellors at Dubai Court’s Family Reform Department were praised for helping to reduce divorces from 692 in the first six months of last year to 645 for the same period this year.

Khalid Al Hosani, Chief Justice at the Court of Personal Status, said the team went to great lengths to try to end disputes amicably.

“They make great efforts through sessions with couples to bring their points of view closer, and thus convince them not to take their disputes to court and choose instead to solve them amicably, especially if the couple have children,” Mr Al Hosani said.

He said the drop could also be attributed to people marrying later in life.

“The average marriage age has increased from 25 to 27 years, which means that the couple are more mature and are fully aware of the importance of marriage and the severity of divorce, mainly on children,” he said.

Mohammed Al Obaidli, head of case management at Dubai Courts, said the Personal Status Court in Al Garhoud, which provides reconciliation in a private environment, also had an effect on divorce rates.

In 2015 it amicably solved 65 per cent of marital disputes reported to the court, up from 60 per cent the previous year. Last year they raised the bar to 76 per cent of cases reconciled.

The Family Reform Department said it settled inheritance cases valued at more than Dh2.8 billion for Muslims and non-Muslims in the first six months of the year, compared with Dh2bn in the same period last year.

The counsellors make great efforts through sessions with couples to bring their points of view closer

“The percentage of settlements accomplished increased from 70 per cent last year to 76 per cent this year,” Mr Al Hosani said.

Four initiatives were launched by the Family Reform Department recently, Mr Al Obaidli said.

One provides free services to register marriages; the second provides voluntary guidance services to couples with marital disputes; a third offers court services at home for the elderly and those unable to attend in person; and the fourth offers pro bono legal consultations to certain segments of society.