Addis Ababa - Addis Ababa City Administration Civil Registration and Residency Service Agency has announced that a total of 19,800 marriages and 5,805 divorces were registered in the past six months in Addis Ababa.
Deputy Director General Tigabu Shumey stated in an interview with AMN Digital that the requirement of divorce certificates as a prerequisite for accessing various social services has contributed to an increase in the registration of previously delayed divorce cases.
Of the total divorces recorded, approximately 1,750 were registered within 30 days of their finalization, while 695 were delayed registrations, according to the agency.
The figures indicate an increase of more than 2,000 cases compared to the same period last year, highlighting a notable rise in divorce registrations.
Providing insight into the underlying causes, legal and social affairs advisor Mekdes Asfaw noted that marital breakdowns are rarely sudden. Instead, they often stem from unresolved issues that were neglected over time due to lack of attention or the assumption that they would resolve on their own.
She emphasized that while entering into or dissolving a marriage remains a personal choice, the consequences of divorce can be difficult to manage. Divorce, she explained, directly affects individuals and children, while indirectly weakening the family structure—the foundation of society.
Mekdes further warned that children raised in environments marked by parental conflict and hardship may develop identity-related challenges. Such circumstances can lead them to prioritize personal survival over collective social responsibility, ultimately undermining broader societal cohesion and national development.
To mitigate rising divorce rates and protect children from psychological distress, she underscored the importance of premarital preparation. Ensuring that couples are ready for the responsibilities of marriage and are aware of personal and environmental pressures beforehand, she said, is critical to fostering stable family units.
