Matrimony in crisis: Economic volatility, youth outflow, and changing fabric of Sri Lankan families – I
by Prof. M. W. Amarasiri de Silva Sri Lanka’s official crude divorce rate is among the lowest in the world, sitting at roughly 0.15 divorces per 1,000 people per year, which translates to about nine legally finalised divorces, daily, nationwide. However, legal scholars and sociologists emphasise that this figure does not reflect a lack of […]
Sri Lanka boasts one of the world's lowest official divorce rates at around 0.15 divorces per 1,000 people annually. However, this figure does not represent a lack of marital difficulties, but rather the country's stringent legal system and cultural norms discourage couples from seeking formal divorces. The fault-based civil law requires a petitioning spouse to prove specific statutory grounds for divorce, often resulting in lengthy, emotionally taxing, and expensive court battles that dissuade many from pursuing a final decree.
Couples instead opt for informal separation, which lowers the reported official divorce rate. Cultural expectations and economic dependencies further pressure individuals to remain legally married. Comparatively, India and the United States have higher divorce rates due to more lenient divorce laws, such as "no-fault" divorce mechanisms.
In the US, 40% to 45% of first marriages end in divorce, while India has a crude divorce rate of approximately 1 per 1,000 people, higher than Sri Lanka but lower than the United States.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
