Manama: Experts meeting in Doha will suggest ways to curb Qatar's increasing divorce rates, local media reported.
The meeting, organised by the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), is the first of a series the council plans to hold annually to discuss issues related to Qatari families and the challenges they face.
According to official figures, the number of divorces per 1,000 married Qataris increased from 17.4 in 1995 to 19.2 in 2009, especially among younger couples, Qatari daily The Peninsula reports on Sunday.
In 2009, 61 per cent of divorces took place within the first five years of marriage, and 29 per cent of divorces happened before the consummation of the marriage.
The two-day meeting will also discuss policies to address the phenomenon, with the participation of a group of local experts and regional and international specialists in this field.
It will introduce some good regional and international practices in addressing divorce and its effects.
