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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fewer marriages in Singapore in 2024; greater marital stability for recent unions
SINGAPORE - Fewer couples tied the knot in 2024, with a more than 10 per cent drop from the record-high number of marriages registered in 2022. A total of 26,328 couples registered their marriages in 2024, down from 28,310 in 2023 and 29,389 in 2022, during a post-pandemic surge when Covid-19 rules were relaxed. The 2022 figure is the highest since data on marriages was first published in 1961. These latest numbers were released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development on July 7 in its Family Trends Report 2025. The 37-page report laid out statistics related to stages of family life like marriage, parenthood, early childhood and ageing. The number of civil marriages dropped across all age groups in 2024, but the decline was most significant among marriages involving brides and grooms aged 25 to 34. The number of civil marriages involving brides aged 25 to 29 fell by 988 in 2024, and by 506 for those aged 30 to 34. Similarly, civil marriages involving grooms aged 25 to 29 fell by 758 in 2024, and by 583 for those aged 30 to 34. 'Decisions surrounding marriages are deeply personal, but we can do more to assure couples if they do choose to start a family,' said Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, in a speech at the National Family Festival Appreciation Event held at One Farrer Hotel on July 7. Singapore has enhanced its marriage and parenthood support over the years, he added. 'As a community, we can also support young couples around us, such as through sharing our own journeys and lessons.' In 2024, a total of 7,382 marriages ended in a divorce or an annulment, a 3.7 per cent increase from 7,118 in 2023, according to data from the Department of Statistics Singapore (DOS) on July 7. Marriages have been more stable in recent years. The average number of marital dissolutions per year between 2020 and 2024 was 7,291, lower than the yearly average of 7,536 between 2015 and 2019. The median age at which people got married in 2024 remained similar to that in 2023. Grooms in Singapore got married at the median age of 31.1, while brides wedded at the median age of 29.6 in 2024. Singapore's resident total fertility rate, which refers to the average number of babies each woman would have during her reproductive years, remained the same in 2024 from the previous year at 0.97. The 0.97 rate was a historic low in 2023, falling from 1.04 in 2022 and 1.12 in 2021. In 2014, around 11 per cent of female residents aged between 40 and 49 who were ever married did not have any children, and this rose to 15 per cent in 2024. The proportion of such women who have one child rose, from 21.6 per cent in 2014 to 25.1 per cent in 2024. According to data from DOS in May, there were a total of 33,703 births in Singapore in 2024. This is in comparison with 33,541 in 2023 and 35,605 in 2022. Similar to the trend in past years, fewer couples who wed in more recent years ended their marriages compared with those who wed earlier. The marriage dissolution rate before the 10th anniversary in a marriage fell among those who got married between 2006 and 2013, compared with the 2005 cohort. The proportion of couples that ended their marriage before their 10th anniversary fell from 17 per cent among those who wed in 2005 to 15.3 per cent for those who wed in 2012, and continued to decline to 14.4 per cent for those who wed in 2013. The most significant improvement was among Muslim marriages. Around 25 per cent of Muslim couples who wed in 2005 ended their marriage before the 10th anniversary, but this proportion fell to 18.2 per cent in couples who married in 2013. This follows government and community-led initiatives like more marriage preparation courses and marital programmes for couples at different stages of marriage over the years. MSF's report also pointed to a 2024 study by the National Council of Social Service on the quality of life of children, youth and caregivers, which surveyed 2,000 respondents. It found that nine in 10 parents of children and youth reported moderate to high family resilience scores. Resilience refers to the ability to cope with and adapt to challenges, or bounce back from difficult life events. Parents who reported moderate to high family resilience did well in areas like communication and problem-solving, and had strong family belief systems, said the report. 'I am encouraged, as the report shows that Singapore continues to be a good place for families. Families are strong and resilient, parents are supported in child-raising, and Singaporeans are embracing a family friendly society,' said Mr Masagos. 'Our collective efforts have brought us this far, and we must continue building on this.' Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said that the number of births in Singapore in 2024 saw a slight drop from 2023. This has been corrected. We are sorry for the error. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nearly 450,000 Afghans left Iran since June 1: IOM
Nearly 450,000 Afghans have returned from Iran since the start of June, the United Nations' migration agency said on Monday, after Tehran ordered those without documentation to leave by July 6. In late May, Iran said undocumented Afghans must leave the country by July 6, potentially impacting four million people out of the around six million Afghans Tehran says live in the country. Numbers of people crossing the border have surged since mid-June, with some days seeing around 40,000 people crossing at Islam Qala in western Herat province, UN agencies have said. From June 1 to July 5, 449,218 Afghans returned from Iran, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration told AFP on Monday, adding that the total for the year so far was 906,326. Many people crossing reported pressure from authorities or arrest and deportation, as well as losing already limited finances in the rush to leave quickly. Massive foreign aid cuts have impacted the response to the crisis, with the UN, international non-governmental groups and Taliban officials calling for more funding to support the returnees. The UN has warned the influx could destabilise the country already grappling with entrenched poverty, unemployment and climate change-related shocks and urged nations not to forcibly return Afghans. "Forcing or pressuring Afghans to return risks further instability in the region, and onward movement towards Europe," the UN refugees agency UNHCR said in a statement on Friday. sw/ecl/mtp
Associated Press
14 hours ago
- Associated Press
Global Eco forum in China's Guiyang highlights Green Transformation
GUIYANG, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 7 July 2025 - Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2025, China's only national-level international forum dedicated to ecological civilization, kicked off on Saturday in Guiyang, the capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province. This photo taken on July 5, 2025 shows a sign of the Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2025 in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province. This year's event, themed 'Harmonious coexistence between humans and nature -- global collaborative development for green transformation,' has attracted some 800 participants. Twenty sub-forums will be held, covering key topics on sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity conservation and environmental governance. The Opening Ceremony of 2025 Eco Forum Global Guyang, Photographed on July 5th 2025. During the two-day event, the latest eco-friendly technologies and products in fields like new energy and solid waste treatment will be unveiled and promoted. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Morris Toiraena, deputy speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, praised the forum's role in promoting international green cooperation. 'The forum's enduring commitment to ecological civilization, aligned with China's forward-thinking concepts, policies and actions, serves as an inspiring example for all of us,' he said. Since its inception in 2009, the forum has successfully convened 12 sessions. It now serves as both a key platform to showcase China's progress in ecological civilization and a cultural bridge for fostering international exchanges and cooperation. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
