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Rabat – Former Justice Minister Mustapha Ramid is once again facing public backlash for expressing support for child marriage and advocating for the legal age of marriage to be lowered to 16 for both girls and boys.
“Allow me to say that we should have the courage to acknowledge that in some cases, marriage may be the best option for a girl or boy,” Ramid said at a seminar held last week.
The former minister cited Article 1 of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, which allows the age of adulthood to be determined by the laws of each country, emphasizing that 18 is merely a standard age.
This debate unfolds against a backdrop of concerning statistics. A 2023 report by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) revealed a staggering 12,940 marriages involving minors in 2022.
The CESE report urges reform, recommending child marriage be classified as human trafficking and advocating for the removal of legal loopholes.
Current law allows judges to approve underage marriage with parental consent for “valid reasons.” The consequences of this exemption have been disastrous, with reports that there were over 13,000 such marriages in 2020 alone.
Read also: Why Child Marriages Continue in Morocco Despite Legal Reforms
A 2023 report by UNICEF found that 14% of Moroccan girls married before 18 between 2015-2021. These girls face increased risks of domestic abuse and are more likely to believe that wife-beating is justified.
The UNICEF statistics also reveal the detrimental impact of child marriage on young girls, with over 36,000 underage girls dropping out of school in the past two years due to marriage.
In addition, UNICEF’s report highlighted the increased risk of sexual and physical abuse faced by young girls in such marriages. In particular, the report painted alarming figures showing that 64% of Moroccan girls aged 15-19 in early marriages believe that a husband is justified in certain circumstances to hit or beat his wife.
Poverty, cultural norms around female virginity, and limited educational opportunities fuel child marriage. Families often view marriage as a solution to financial hardship or a way to safeguard their daughters’ “honor.”
