Nearly 90% of women do not remarry after divorce, while 90% of men do. At present there are six million women in the country who are divorced and have remained single. Reports say around one in three marriages in Tehran, the capital, is a failure.
But why do divorced men have better chances of remarriage than divorced women?
Saeid Moidfar, sociologist and university professor, believes that “outdated cultural traditions and beliefs are the main causes of the problem,” Fararu website reported.
“In our culture, only old men remarry young divorced women,” he said, adding that, “today, unlike in the past, women don’t accept such a situation and are prepared to forsake their chances of remarriage.”
As the society moves toward modernity, cultural traditions are becoming weaker, especially in cities. However, in many rural areas, customs and traditions have remained strong.
Moidfar also said the process of cultural change is slow in the country, while “it can be accelerated in a positive way by raising people’s awareness.”
Meanwhile, with many youngsters delaying marriage or altogether shunning the idea, the government has launched a matchmaking website to encourage couples in wedlock.
No Appeal
But, the under-30s group, which makes up 55% of the nearly 80 million population, is no longer interested in permanent marriage. For some, tying the knot has simply lost its appeal.
During the previous year (ended March 20), 724,345 marriages were registered in the country, a 6.5% drop compared to the previous year, while divorce rates saw a 5.3% increase during the same period. Last year, 163,572 divorces took place.
Youths between the ages of 25 and 30 comprise the largest group of divorcees, 15 to 20% of whom have separated within the first five years of marriage.
In the past three years, the ratio of divorce to marriage has risen 20%. Statistics show that Tehran and Alborz provinces top the list of high divorce rates with a 35% increase.
The number of first marriages taking place after the age of 35 is also on the rise. Women make up more than 60% of university students and the higher-educated no longer are in a rush to get married.
