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Join on Telegram Rabat – Despite efforts to combat child marriage, it remains a pressing concern, which acutely impacts girls’ lives.
The Family Code, established in 2004, set the legal age of marriage at 18 years. However, exceptions allowing judges to lower the age in isolated cases have become close to a norm, as reflected in the staggering number of marriage contracts involving minors in 2022, which reached 12,940. These figures were published in a report from the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE), an independent state consultancy.
The CESE report was compiled following a request from the President of the House of Representatives on November 13, 2023. He asked the council to take part in the broader consultations ahead of the Family Code reform.
The report highlights the concerning impact of child marriage on the economic and social well-being of girls and calls for a comprehensive strategy to tackle the persistent problem.
Child marriage both jeopardizes the future prospects of girls and has broader adverse effects on the economic and social development of the country, the report explains.
The report further explains that child marriage excludes young girls from the education system, depriving them of essential opportunities for economic participation. It contributes to increased fertility rates, perpetuates poverty, and poses significant health risks for both girls and their children.
Responding to the critical situation, the council has reiterated its stance on the matter, emphasizing the need for urgent action.
The Council has referenced its 2019 report entitled “What to Do About the Continuation of Child Marriage in Morocco?” which calls for a three-pronged approach to address the issue.
The council’s first recommendation for the government is to harmonize the legal framework with the constitution and international agreements. The measure includes reconsidering exceptions to the marriage age rule and introducing provisions in the Family Code to safeguard the “best interest of the child.”
The second measure is to put emphasis on combatting harmful practices against children through the sustainable and integrated implementation of various policies and public measures at the national and regional levels.
The Council’s third recommendation proposes establishing an information system for tracking and evaluating progress in combating practices related to the marriage of minors. The system should be based on suitable indicators aligned with children’s rights, sustainable development goals, and data related to potential cases of child marriage.
NGOs have long criticized the legal loophole that allows Moroccan judges to issue special approval for the marriage of underage girls.
A 2023 report from UNICEF indicated that the rate of child marriage among females in Morocco reached 14% between 2015 and 2021.
Read Also: Why Child Marriages Continue in Morocco Despite Legal Reforms
