Casablanca – Higher Education Minister Azzedine El Midaoui sparked backlash after he used the term “Mongolian marriage” as an example of students studying, living, and remaining in the same region during a parliamentary session yesterday.
El Midaoui made the remark while responding to a question about establishing a university in Drâa-Tafilalet.
He argued that Morocco should not create a university in every province simply to allow students to study close to home. Instead, he called for new institutions to attract students from different regions and encourage the movement of talent across Morocco and internationally.
“Otherwise, we will end up with a kind of ‘Mongolian marriage’ within the family, where everyone studies here, lives here, and stays here,” he said, arguing that students should have opportunities to move beyond their home regions.
The expression prompted criticism from disability rights advocates, who linked it to outdated terminology historically used to describe people with Down syndrome.
In a statement, the Moroccan Organization for the Rights of Women with Disabilities condemned the expression as discriminatory and racist. It said the wording drew on colonial-era terminology that reduces people to their biological and ethnic characteristics, adding that such language conflicts with the principles of equality and human dignity.
The organization also argued that the minister’s remarks contradicted Morocco’s constitutional commitments to fighting discrimination. It cited Article 34 of the Constitution, which addresses the rights and social integration of people with disabilities, as well as Morocco’s international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The group called on El Midaoui to issue an immediate and formal public apology to people with disabilities, their families, and the Moroccan public from inside Parliament. It also urged the speaker of the House of Representatives and the relevant committees to remove the expression from the official record of the session.
The organization further called on the head of government to take a firm stance and hold the minister accountable. It asked the National Human Rights Council and other constitutional institutions to speak out against discriminatory language targeting people with disabilities.
Disability rights activist Samira Bakhti Saadi also criticized the minister’s choice of words, arguing that public officials should protect citizens’ rights rather than reinforce stereotypes.
Writer and activist Kamal Saidi similarly criticized the expression while supporting the minister’s broader argument that university mobility can benefit students’ knowledge and personal development. He also stressed the need for adequate scholarships to help students who move away from home pursue their studies with dignity.
El Midaoui apologized for using the expression, addressing people with Down syndrome and their families. He said he had not intended to offend them and acknowledged that his choice of words was inappropriate.
He explained that he had used the expression while discussing regional equity in higher education and student mobility, adding that limited speaking time had prevented him from fully explaining his argument.
