Kuwait reports high divorce rate, calls for legal reform

Kuwait is experiencing a significant rise in divorce rates, with 84,442 cases reported last year. This averages out to 231 divorces each day. Lawyers and human rights advocates say the country's current Personal Status Law is outdated and harmful to families. There are growing calls for reforms to the law. Legal professionals want the government to change rules concerning alimony and child visitation. One suggestion is to require court-supervised visitation to ensure compliance by parents. Advocates also want to raise the legal marriage age to 18 for both genders. They argue that early marriages limit young people's education and choices. Attorney Fawaz Al Shallahi supports the Ministry of Justice’s efforts to modernize the law. He believes it is crucial to introduce stricter divorce procedures and better protect children after separation. He noted, “This is not just a legal reform — it’s a social necessity.” Concerns about alimony have also been raised. Lawyer Hamdan Al Namshan stated that some alimony demands are so high they make divorced women unlikely to remarry. He believes these high settlements harm marriages and create financial stress for men. “Alimony should be a right for children,” he said, “but it should also be reasonable.” Both Al Namshan and Al Shallahi stressed the need to increase the marriage age. They argue that this change would align Kuwaiti laws with international human rights standards. They pointed out that early marriage can lead to education loss and increased risk of domestic violence. Attorney Dr. Salem Al Kandari emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of child visitation rules. He argued that courts should play a central role in family matters and that current informal arrangements often lead to disputes. Early marriages, he added, expose minors to challenges they are not ready to face.