Egypt has a problem. Both the cost of living and the rate of divorce are increasing. Egyptian divorces rose by almost seven percent in 2018 compared to 2017; it’s now 2.2 divorces for every thousand citizens, up from 1.9 in 2010. At the same time, the marriage rate has fallen from a little over 10 per thousand in 2016 to about 9 in 2018.
What to do? How about requiring men to buy divorce insurance? This would ensure men can pay alimony no matter their financial circumstances. It may sound drastic, but there is a bill in Parliament to do just that.
Other ideas include ending the Islamic practice of verbal divorce, holding workshops on college campuses to offer tips on finding the right partner, and tightening laws against men who duck alimony.
Insurance to cover divorces actually isn’t a new idea. It’s available in the U.S., the U.K., and India, for example. But Egypt would be the first to make it mandatory.
Could this be the wave of the future? If you’re contemplating marriage, better keep an eye on Egypt.
Taken from “Want to Get Married in Egypt? Get Alimony Insurance First” by Ahmed Mustapha (https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/want-to-get-married-in-egypt-get-alimony-insurance-first/96394?).