Kirkuk's Appeal Court. Photo: 964media
Marriage numbers stay relatively steady
Kirkuk sees 12-percent jump in divorce rates in 2023
KIRKUK — Couples around the world are celebrating Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, but in Kirkuk, that number has likely dropped this year with figures indicating that divorces are on the rise across the governorate.
Divorce rates in Kirkuk saw a 12.1% jump in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to statistics released by Iraq’s Higher Judicial Council. A total of 2,551 couples filed to end their marriages last year, up from 2,275 in 2022.
Marriages remained relatively steady according to the council’s data, which reflected a 1.6% drop in 2023, during which 13,143 unions were registered. In 2022, 13,361 marriages were recorded in Kirkuk.
Fatima Ahmed Khazraji, a lawyer in Kirkuk, said the jump in divorces was due to a number of factors, but most could be attributed to couples marrying before getting to know each other well, infidelity, and societal pressure that often force women to marry young.
“There was one marriage that didn’t even last 48 hours,” Khazraju said. “They finalized their proceedings on a Tuesday and came back the next day for a divorce due to disagreements over their outfits for the celebration.”