"Because he is poor, I annulled my marriage!" With these words, Sabreen Al-Azab (a pseudonym) justifies her decision. She asserts that she has the right to live a dignified life with her children and should not constantly find herself begging her family for money, especially when her husband is indifferent to their needs, neglecting his responsibilities as the breadwinner, and spending most of his time chewing qat for nearly ten hours a day, without taking care of their situation.
Sabreen married six years ago in a traditional arrangement, unaware of her husband's financial situation. According to her account to Khuyut, she discovered his difficult circumstances only after the marriage, and she was initially patient with him. However, she came to realize that his poverty was due to laziness and nothing else, as she claims.
She adds, "Poverty is not a shame; we are all living in difficult economic conditions in the country. Those who work hard and persevere are the ones who escape the grip of hunger. However, my husband does not care about us, and he doesn’t spend on us even a quarter of what he spends on qat, always using poverty, lack of opportunities, and the country’s dire situation as excuses," Sabreen says.
Sabreen sought recourse at the Taiz court to file for the annulment of her marriage, relinquishing all her rights in the process. After enduring what she describes as protracted judicial procedures, she succeeded in annulling her marriage.
“The ongoing war, coupled with the harsh living conditions stemming from the deteriorating economic situation and the collapse of the national currency, serves as the primary reasons behind most of the other factors contributing to what she describes as a growing phenomenon. This matter is directly linked to the war's impact on society and its devastating repercussions on families.”
As such cases escalate, particularly in Taiz, a study published by the Civil Center for Studies and Research, prepared by Judge Dr. Abdulalim Aqlan and reviewed by Khuyut, concluded that the rate of marriage annulments is steadily increasing as the years of war and its extensive economic and social repercussions continue.
The study documented approximately 329 annulment cases in 2020, and about 318 cases in 2021. It also noted that 404 annulment cases were recorded in 2022. Further, judge Aqlan estimates that the past year saw an even higher number of annulments, though accurate figures could not be obtained.
In this context, Sabah Rajeh, from the Yemeni Women’s Union, explains to Khuyut an important point regarding this issue, stating that the Union provides legal support to women seeking annulment only after conducting a thorough case study and communicating with both parties. If, after reviewing the case, it is concluded that separation is deemed more beneficial than continuing the marriage, they proceed with filing the case and assisting the petitioner throughout the legal process until the annulment is granted.
However, if the reasons are deemed unreasonable and there is hope for the relationship to continue, Rajeh explains: " We focus on educating the woman, providing her with psychological support, and attempting to improve her relationship with her husband, as what is happening between them may simply be the result of psychological pressure, which can be resolved without resorting to the marriage annulment."
A Growing Phenomenon
For instance, Rania Al-Shara’abi married her neighbor, who loved her and knew her well— someone who shares many similarities in thought, culture, and education. Despite the difficult financial situation, they lived happily for three years. She tells Khuyut, "We struggled to make ends meet for our daily sustenance and borrowed money in emergencies, like for illnesses or paying rent. The debts kept increasing and multiplying without us even realizing it."
Despite the hardship, as she mentioned, she tried to show her husband that she was content with their difficult life as long as they were together. However, her husband began to withdraw and get distracted frequently, forgetting things, and talking to her about strange topics. He would ask her about events that had never happened.
She continues, "His behavior began to change gradually, but I justified it as a result of psychological pressures. Then he started to doubt me and would scold me, until it escalated to physical abuse. He would talk to himself all the time and isolate himself in his room for long periods. Finally, I was fortunate to escape, thanks to God, from an attempt to violently assault me aimed at ending my life and getting rid of me. At that moment, I realized that I had to leave and end my marriage by annulment to protect my soul and the lives of my children," she concludes her story, with signs of pain evident on her face.
Thus, women crowd at the doors of the courts in Taiz Governorate (southwestern Yemen) more than in any other governorate, seeking their annulment paper and divorce decree. The situation has led to Taiz ranking first in terms of divorce cases presented during court sessions. Consequently, this raises numerous questions about the underlying causes of this phenomenon, which could have many lasting negative impacts on society.
In this regard, Amal Al-Sabri, a lawyer in Taiz, tells Khuyut, "Most women come to the court seeking annulment of marriages because of their difficult economic situation, often leading to estrangement as husbands fail to provide for their wives and children."
Al-Sabri affirms that the rate of divorce has increased in this matter in conjunction with the rise in women’s awareness of their rights guaranteed by Sharia and law. Yemeni women have begun to resort to the judiciary to seek marital justice and to compel their husbands to fulfill their rights and obligations. Otherwise, they prefer separation over continuing a toxic relationship that deprives them of their rights.
Different Causes
Al-Sabri believes that the ongoing war, coupled with the harsh living conditions stemming from the deteriorating economic situation and the collapse of the national currency, serves as the primary reasons behind most of the other factors contributing to what she describes as a growing phenomenon. This matter is directly linked to the war's impact on society and its devastating repercussions on families.
Likewise, Aqlan agrees with Al-Sabri, noting in his aforementioned study, titled "The Impact of the Yemeni Crisis on the Spread of Divorce in Taiz," that the prolonged interruption of salaries is a significant factor. In addition, even when salaries are available, they are often insufficient to meet the family's essential needs. As a result, the husbands resort to permanent expatriation, leaving them unable to meet their marital obligations. These reasons are among the primary motivations that lead women to seek annulment and divorce.
“Psychological issues also often lead to divorce, annulment, or separation, and these problems can arise even among the wealthy, regardless of their financial status. Contributing factors include neglect, constant busyness, and the failure of both partners to listen to each other and understand one another’s problems. This lack of communication can prevent them from addressing problems before they escalate over time.”
In contrast, Yasser Al-Selwi, a sociology professor at Taiz University, tells Khuyut that other causes for the rise in annulments and divorce include couples entering into marriages without full conviction, often through family-arranged traditional marriages, as well as educational, cultural and intellectual gaps between spouses.
In addition, the emergence of new ideas about women's freedom, propagated by organizations and the media, has played a significant role. This is alongside issues such as early marriage, forced marriage of one spouse or the both, differences in temperament and personalities, and dissimilar social upbringing that are also contributing factors, along with superstitions like "divorce magic" and living in a fantasy world disconnected from reality.
Al-Selwi continues by stating that the increasing rate of divorce leads to a failure to establish families on solid foundations, the spread of illegitimate and unethical relationships, and societal deviations. Furthermore, he believes that divorced women often face negative perceptions from society.
Meanwhile, Aqlan draws attention to the fact that divorce widens the circle of spinsterhood due to the lengthy legal procedures of the annulment process involved. Additionally, children bear the brunt of these consequences, living in a state of anxiety, insecurity, homelessness, and loss as a result of family breakdowns. This also affects their academic performance and exposes them to negative behaviors and moral deviations.
Psychological Pressures
The reasons behind this issue are not limited to social and economic factors. There is another important aspect related to psychological pressures, often stemming from the couple’s poor financial condition. In such cases, the causes may be attributed to psychological or mental disorders, sometimes even insanity. This was the cause of Rania's divorce, as well as other cases documented by Khuyut.
Similarly, psychologist Maria Hamoud tells Khuyut that psychological issues also often lead to divorce, annulment, or separation, and these problems can arise even among the wealthy, regardless of their financial status. Contributing factors include neglect, constant busyness, and the failure of both partners to listen to each other and understand one another’s problems. This lack of communication can prevent them from addressing problems before they escalate over time.
Hamoud also points to other psychological factors that may drive a woman to seek a divorce, such as infidelity, contempt, and disdain; unclear roles within the relationship; sexual dissatisfaction; increased tension; financial stinginess; as well as irresponsibility and recklessness, not to mention physical and verbal abuse.
Protective Measures
Lawyer Ali Al-Sarari tells Khuyut that there are hidden reasons that do not appear before the courts, which serve as an incentive for some women. He explains that certain organizations support divorce and annulment, offering legal and financial assistance to women to pursue these actions.
Meanwhile, lawyer Amal Al-Sabri explains that civil society organizations provide a form of legal assistance to abused women who are victims of domestic violence and cannot access justice and the courts. This assistance serves as a protective measure for women and helps those who feel compelled to remain in abusive marriages to escape their situations of humiliation and violence.
Al-Sabri also draws attention to the pressure faced by organizations that provide such assistance, which has led some to withdraw, thereby depriving women of much-needed services. However, despite this, there remain a significant number of personal status cases pending before various courts.
Recommendations and Solutions
Aqlan believes in his discussion with Khuyut that addressing this phenomenon requires providing job opportunities for the unemployed, activating investment institutions, and establishing projects. Moreover, it is essential to develop skills and trades among the youth and employ as many residents of the governorate as possible. He also emphasizes the need for the state to support families with basic needs.
He also advocates for organizing seminars and training courses to raise awareness about the harms of marriage annulment, as well as to provide religious and cultural education for couples through the courts and mediators, and fostering societal awareness about family stability.
Al-Sabri further suggests recommendations that could also help alleviate the problem, starting with her proposals for civil society organizations to develop legal protection programs using appropriate mechanisms and methods to provide psychological support to couples before they reach the courts. Additionally, she emphasizes the need to expand economic empowerment programs for women so that they can contribute to supporting their families and alleviating their burdens.
Many agree on the necessity of positive roles for families, neighborhood and local leaders, and society as a whole in contributing to finding appropriate solutions for such issues and problems that arise within the community, and to pursue reconciliation between couples in accordance with religious and legal principles.
Al-Sabri advises young men and women to take their time when deciding to marry, emphasizing that it should be undertaken through well-considered steps and careful selection. She also stresses the importance of not marrying underage girls and that a young man should only enter into marriage when he has secured all the necessary requirements for married life, including an independent home and the ability to assume financial responsibilities and fulfill all obligations.
In addition, there is a pressing need for collaborative efforts among the community, civil society organizations, and local authorities to strengthen family bonds and resolve family-related issues. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for the establishment of specialized family courts in the near future to better address these growing challenges.
