Rabat – Awatif Hayar, Morocco’s Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family, has announced plans to implement an “integrated family policy to address the surge in divorce rates in the country. The initiative aims to support couples to achieve a stable and successful family life, as well as raise awareness about divorce.
Hayar made the statement on Monday during a plenary session at the House of Representatives, during which she discussed the issue of rising divorce cases in light of alarming figures released by the High Commission for Planning (HCP). The minister noted that 80% of divorces in Morocco occurred by mutual consent.
The integrated family policy aims to take preventive measures to tackle the issue of rising divorces through pre-marriage counseling, family mediation, and “promoting a culture of equality and rights,” she said.
The Moroccan government is “actively working” to implement the new policy, which relies on monitoring accumulated data, policies, and existing programs, Hayar explained.
The minister particularly spoke about the “Jisr” program (meaning “Bridge” in Arabic) that the government has launched to address the rising divorce rates, as well as help couples before and after marriage using a “supportive approach.”
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The program addresses other issues facing Moroccan families, Hayar indicated, explaining that it also aims to “eliminate child begging and exploitation from its roots.”
In this respect, she revealed the government’s plans to launch a platform to report cases of child begging, allowing for prompt interventions to protect these children.
“Given its importance for social development, the government has placed the family at the heart of its new approach,” Hayar said, stressing Morocco’s commitment to empowering families and strengthening marriages.
