Chechen marriage offices urge collaboration with religious authorities to combat fraudulent divorce practices
In an effort to address the high divorce rate and promote traditional family values, the Russian republic of Chechnya has established a commission for the harmonisation of marital and family relations since 2017, under the leadership of Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov.
The initiative was announced by the Deputy Mufti of Chechnya, Adam Ilyasov, during a meeting at the Ministry of Finance in an unspecified year. Kadyrov had proposed the development of a programme aimed at resolving marital disputes as early as 2012.
The commission, which operates in collaboration with the Spiritual Administration of Muslims in Chechnya, focuses on reconciling couples who have separated due to insignificant reasons. However, the organisation responsible for establishing this commission remains unidentified in the provided search results.
Ilyasov explained that the spiritual administration is already involved in checking every divorce certificate, inviting the former spouses to confirm the dissolution of the marriage. This measure is intended to avoid 'unjustified budget spending' and prevent the formal registration of divorces carried out for the purpose of obtaining social benefits.
By the end of July 2025, the commission had identified 5,877 divorced couples and reunited 2,867 married couples, raising 5,140 children. Despite these efforts, more than 6,021 underage children continue to live in divorced families in Chechnya - 4,028 with fathers and 1,993 with mothers.
This issue is not unique to Chechnya, as the North Caucasus region, including Chechnya, is known for residents formally divorcing while continuing to live together for the wife to receive financial support, leading to distorted divorce statistics.
In Chechnya, social benefits are set at a maximum of ₽17,024 ($220) per year, with payments reaching up to 100% of this amount per child per month. Women seeking divorce often face pressure from authorities and religious leaders, as reported by RFE/RL in 2023.
To combat this issue, civil registry offices in Chechnya have appealed to the local Spiritual Administration of Muslims for assistance in verifying divorces. Kadyrov declared in 2012, "We have managed to reconcile blood feuds - we'll manage this issue too," in reference to resolving marital disputes.
A 'comprehensive action plan' will be developed to strengthen family institutions and optimize budgetary spending, although details of the plan have not yet been disclosed. Nationally in Russia, the divorce rate is approximately 70 divorces per 100 marriages, according to Russia's Federal State Statistics Service. In Chechnya, the divorce rate is significantly higher, with 2,069 divorces for every 1,000 marriages, with the ratio sometimes reaching three divorces for every one marriage, such as in February 2025.
