More Omanis getting divorced, government figures show

Muscat: Oman reported an alarming increase in the number of divorce cases over the last year, according to the government figures.

More than 4,100 divorces were filed in 2024 in Oman, a rise of 7% compared with a year earlier, the Supreme Judiciary Council figures showed.

According to official statistics, 4,122 divorce cases have been filed in the country, an average of 11 cases every day.

With the total number of marriages in Oman having decreased slightly from 15,400 in 2022 to 14,716 in 2023, the number of divorces experienced a more substantial drop, declining from over 4,160 cases in 2022 to just over 3,828 in 2023. Statistics showed more than 3,800 divorces were filed in 2021, a rise of 12 percent compared with a year earlier.

Muscat topped other governorates with more than 1,161 cases in 2024, followed by Dhofar, 687, North Batinah, 671, South Batinah, 704, and North Sharqiyah, 264, South Sharqiyah, 249, according to figures.

Additionally, Muscat Governorate led the way, recording 4,868 marriages in 2024, followed by North Batinah, 2,955, South Batinah, 2,031, Dhakilyah, 2,042, Dhofar, 1,684, South Sharqiyah,1,306 and North Sharqiyah with 1,228.

According to recent studies, divorce is increasing among young people and groups with low educational and economic levels. Denial of parity in marriage partnership or a shift in the gender role expectations are also cited as the reasons.

Mohamad Al Hashmi, a social worker based in Muscat, a social researcher at one of Oman’s courts, told Gulf News earlier that economic and social issues, and interference of relatives, were among the main reasons why couples were seeking divorce. He added that the interference of relatives in decision-making and dispute resolution between married couples made it more complicated to save some marriages.

Meanwhile, despite better education opportunities and good office jobs, Omani women are questioning and initiating divorce more than ever before by demanding equal life partnerships. For Nasra Al Mahrooqi, 37, marriage has limited value if the husband controls all aspects of marital life. She walked out of her three-year marriage in May.

“Marriage is supposed to be an equal partnership but it is not a marriage if the man dictates all the terms in your life and forces you to play by his rules,” Nasra, who works in a government entity, told Gulf News.

Afraa Al Zadjali, 43, who works as a manager for a finance company in Muscat, explained that her 10-year marriage was “torture” and decided to walk away from it. “I ended my marriage some months ago after we got married. Why? Because I found it extremely suffocating and tormenting,” said AFraa.

“I can’t even go to a friend’s wedding without taking his permision. This is not a life that I want. Why should I subject myself to such misery and sheer torture? I earn enough money, much more than he can afford, to live independently and I don’t need a man to provide for me,” she said.

On the men’s side, Ahmed Al Siyabi, 34, an accountant, said that his wife asked for a divorce after six months of marriage. “Marriage is a shared life, not just sharing children and the house, but emotions, too. When I am married, I would like my wife to be my partner and not just a wife. It’s her decision. This is much better for me as life with her was unbearable.”

In January, the Ministry of Health announced that premarital medical screening will be mandatory starting 2026. All Omanis who are about to get married, including those marrying foreigners, will have to undergo screening. It is not necessary for both parties to attend the health facility together to conduct the examinations, according to the ministry. Having an infectious disease is not a bar for marriage. Maintaining confidentiality of information is a priority at all levels at which the services are provided. Whether to proceed or not with the marriage is entirely up to both parties

Premarital medical examination has been implemented in the Sultanate of Oman since 1999. This service is available on an optional basis at all government primary healthcare institutions, specifically health centres. Beneficiaries approach the healthcare facility and request the service, after which a doctor conducts an examination and takes a blood sample. A follow-up appointment is then scheduled within a short period for the medical counselling based on the test results.