Social and familial circles in Iraq have witnessed a noticeable increase in the phenomenon of rising wedding costs and high dowries, resulting in serious repercussions such as young people shying away from taking this step, increasing divorce rates, and, for many, turning this humanitarian institution into what resembles a commercial transaction.
One citizen stated that the high costs imposed by families to secure their daughters' rights have turned marriage into a failed commercial project that has led to an increase in separation cases. She explained that the real crisis is embodied in the lack of responsibility among some men and the exploitation of women, as well as making the penalty clause and financial amounts a means of revenge in the event of divorce instead of seeking a humane settlement.
She added during her conversation with the Video News Agency that money alone cannot buy a successful marriage or change hearts if the choice is not based on awareness and equality, noting that the appropriate age for a woman to marry starts from 25 to 26 years, while it is preferable for a man to be over 30 years to ensure adequate maturity.
Citizen Abdul Hamid confirmed to the Video News Agency that providing independent housing, a stable source of income, and mutual understanding are the foundation of any commitment.
He pointed out that the rising dowries and unrealistic marriage requirements directly drive young people to shy away from marriage and turn to delinquency, holding women largely responsible for the failure of some family partnerships due to their influence from social media and the lack of contentment.
Abdul Hamid called for dowries to be moderate and not exceed 10 million dinars to cover the preparations without burdening the young man.
For his part, citizen Maher emphasized that economic crises and the absence of job opportunities and government appointments have made young Iraqis unable to meet the unrealistic demands and high sums required by some families, pointing out that assuming the intention of divorce in advance by imposing high delayed dowries is a bad assumption that dismantles the pillars of trust between the two parties.
He continued that the continuation of daily disputes between spouses in front of the children creates a frightening environment for them that is more dangerous than the separation of the parents, explaining that the immaturity of both parties when marrying early before the age of 25 is behind the rising divorce rates in society, necessitating consideration of living conditions and focusing on choosing a competent man instead of evaluating social relationships based on money and transactions.