New Statistics in Egypt Reveal Increase in "Customary Marriages" (Zawaj Urfi)
New statistics in Egypt have revealed an increase in the number of "customary marriages" (zawaj urfi) registered in the country in 2024, reaching approximately 98,582 cases, or an average of 270 customary marriage cases per day.
Key Findings
- Data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) showed that the number of urfi marriage cases recorded in the country in 2024 represents 10.5% of the total number of marriage contracts.
- "Tasadiq" (regularization) is defined as the registration of a customary marriage concluded between two spouses on the date it took place, regardless of its duration, so that the wife can acquire her legal rights.
- Tasadiq usually occurs when the wife wants to obtain her legal and judicial rights (alimony, inheritance, pension, recognition of paternity of children) in case of disagreement or divorce, or to obtain government assistance (Takaful and Karama programs) or pensions.
Demographic Breakdown
- According to official statistics, the phenomenon is highly concentrated among 18-30 year olds, as well as university students and young people with low incomes who resort to customary marriage due to the high costs of official marriage.
Marriage and Divorce Trends
- The annual bulletin of marriage and divorce statistics for 2024 estimates the total number of marriage contracts in Egypt to be around 936,739 in 2024, compared to 961,220 contracts in 2023, a decrease of 2.5%.
- Meanwhile, the number of divorce cases reached 273,892 in 2024, compared to 265,606 in 2023, an increase of 3.1%.
- The number of marriage contracts in urban areas reached approximately 395,215 in 2024, accounting for 42.2% of the total contracts, compared to 388,696 in 2023, an increase of 1.7%.
- As for marriage contracts in rural areas, their number reached 541,524 in 2024, accounting for 57.8% of the total contracts, compared to 572,524 in 2023, a decrease of 5.4%.
