Free newspaper Sp!ts reports that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Dutch Muslim women to find suitable husbands.
The current generation of young Dutch Muslim women are often quite well-educated and open-minded compared to most of their potential spouses, many of whom do not want a ‘modern’ wife.
In addition, arranged marriages are going out of fashion. Nermin Altintas, the Turkish-Dutch director of the Yasmin foundation in The Hague, says: “Men and women are increasingly left to their own devices to find potential partners. This can be really difficult when you are not in the habit of going to discos and bars. It is increasingly rare for parents to find you a husband. One of the few possibilities of meeting men is at weddings.”
Ms Altintas says she sees quite a lot of singles in her circle of friends and acquaintances, but also a growing number of divorcees who became disappointed in their partners after getting married.
Naoual Loiazizi of the Netherlands Association of Moroccan Women agrees: “Getting married is not the problem...but many girls have a hard time finding a man who shares their outlook on life.”
“Many men pretend to be different from who they really are. They make all kinds of promises to women before they get married, such as allowing them to get their driving licences and a job, but once married they change their minds.”
Ms Loiazizi says this is the reason a growing group of Dutch-Moroccan women decide to remain single. “They are strong-headed and refuse to change for a man. However, some women lower their standards after turning 30 because they want to start a family.”