Declining Marriage and Increasing Cohabitation By Joseph Chamie Copyright © 2026 IPS-Inter Press Service. All rights reserved. -

Declining Marriage and Increasing Cohabitation By Joseph Chamie PORTLAND, USA, Sep 22 2026 (IPS) - Marriage is declining in many countries, with fewer people marrying and many postponing marriage until later in life. At the same time, increasing numbers of men and women are choosing cohabitation instead of marriage. Various social, economic, and legal factors have contributed to this shift from marriage to cohabitation. Moreover, cohabitation is increasingly not simply a prelude to marriage but, in many cases, an alternative to it. Although its prevalence varies considerably across regions and countries, cohabitation among unmarried couples has continued to rise in many parts of the world. https://www.ipsnews.net/2026/09/declining-marriage-and-increasing-cohabitation/?utm_source=email_marketing&utm_admin=146128&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Forty_Years_of_the_Right_to_Development_When_Growth_Excludes_Is_It_Still_Development_Floods_Hunger_a Copyright © 2026 IPS-Inter Press Service. All rights reserved. -