Morocco’s King-Commissioned Family Code Reform Is for Family, Not ‘Just Women’

Rabat – Morocco’s family reform concerns the whole family, not just women. Recently, however, the reform has been largely used for ideological purposes, and it is surrounded by a lot of propaganda and rumors, MP, Najoua Koukous, told Morocco World News (MWN).

Koukous said “There is a lot of speculation about things that haven’t reached the parliament yet,” Koukous said on the sidelines of the opening of the legislative year at the parliament, adding: “We still haven’t received a draft law.”

The MP was commenting on the reform of the family code that had been commissioned by King Mohammed VI. On September 26, the monarch addressed a letter to the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch instructing him to revise the family code.

In recent weeks, the family code reform became a hot topic on social media in Morocco, with widespread misinformation and speculation warning against the perceived “progressiveness” of the reform.

Meanwhile, Moroccan NGOs and women’s rights activists are hailing the decision and consider it as a crucial step in the right direction.

The King called on the government to submit draft recommendations based on consultations within six months before preparing and submitting a bill for parliamentary approval.

In his speech on the occasion of the start of the legislative year, King Mohammed VI underscored the fundamental significance of family unity and cohesion within the framework of the Moudawana.

“It is in keeping with the spirit of these national values — which consider the family and family bonds to be sacred — that I have addressed a letter to the Head of Government asking for a review of the Family Code,” King Mohammed VI.

The speech highlighted the critical role of families as the “pillar of society,” as stated in the Moroccan constitution. The king emphasized the need for a strengthened Moudawana that reflects the cherished Moroccan values of solidarity, unity, and familial support.

Koukous, who also works as a lawyer, maintains that the rumors on social media surrounding the reform process are “disruptive.”

“This is not a Mudawana for women – not the one that we have now or the one that we’ll have later – it is a Mudawana for the whole family,” she explained.

She explained that the reform aims to protect the whole family and children above all, as they are the ones who suffer from its shortcomings.

“The 2004 family code, which had been released 20 years ago, had yielded a number of irregularities despite its many merits,” Nabila Mounib, another MP, told MWN.

For Mounib, attempting to reform the family code means focusing on “promoting the women’s cause, as it is a societal issue at the heart of our aspiration for a democratic and just state.”

“The Moroccan people should unite to eradicate the marriage of minors,” she added, referring to a legal loophole that is exploited to marry minors. “We also should focus on eradicating all forms of violence against Moroccan women, especially in remote areas where women face social marginalization.”