Divorce – Left column

It is difficult to get a divorce in Nepal, but the situation is improving with changes to the legal system. Marital property must now be divided equally between the spouses, and custody rights are decided by prioritizing the best interests of the children. A woman can file for divorce without needing her husband’s consent, and marital rape and bigamy are among the expanded legal grounds for divorce. Likely due to these legal reforms, Nepal’s divorce rate rose to 4-5% in 2025. Still, such court cases are lengthy and expensive. A contested divorce case can take up to 18 months. Even worse than the time and money required to get a divorce is the social stigma it brings. Many women are so terrified of being ostracized from their communities if they get a divorce that they will endure years of abuse instead.