Source : Arab News
JEDDAH | 19 Jun 2011

There were 500,000 divorce cases in Saudi Arabia in less than two decades, Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, reported Friday quoting a field study that claimed the figures represented a worrying trend.

The study, conducted by researcher Salman bin Muhammad Al-Amri, said divorces were particularly common among young couple and asked for establishing special offices for marriage counseling under the umbrella of Shariah courts.

Around half of men who divorced their wives were aged between 24 and 28 when they got married, while 18 percent were 18 to 23 years old, the study said.

The study called for holding special program on marriage for young men and women before they are allowed to tie the knot.

“This will enable them to shoulder their responsibilities in the future and be prepared for any problems that might crop up after marriage,” the study said.

The study called for the establishment of a special fund to help women divorcees gain qualifications and train them to take up certain jobs and be part of productive families.

The research said vocational training should be provided to women divorcees on skills such as embroidery, typing, husbandry, secretarial work, administration and others.

The study also called for establishing nurseries and kindergarten for children of broken families to take care of them and ensure them with a good upbringing that will protect them from going astray.

The study, which examined 330 divorce cases, said about 75 percent of divorcees lived in urban areas while the rest were from rural areas.

The research added almost 76 percent of divorcees were highly educated and holders of university degrees in most cases, while less than 2 percent had no education. It said most male divorcees were aged between 25 and 49.