Rabat – Divorce cases in Morocco are rising at an exponential rate, going from 72,000 cases in 2016 to 126,000 cases in 2021.
According to a statement from an official at the national prosecutor’s office, Aziza Handaz, divorce cases in Morocco have significantly increased between 2016 and 2021, adding that cases of reconciliations are declining.
Speaking at a conference on Saturday of the Moroccan Association of Women Judges, Handaz explained that reconciliation cases – instances where the court intervenes to mediate between the two spouses and prevent divorce – fell from 20,000 in 2016 to 15,000 in 2021.
While addressing the assembly, the official stressed the importance of strengthening mediation services as an alternative mechanism to resolve family conflicts outside the courts, using dialogue and negotiation to preserve family relations.
Handaz’s statement is in line with a number of reports suggesting that since Morocco adopted the reform to the family code in 2004, divorce cases have been on the rise.
Official sources suggest that divorce cases went from 7,213 in 2004 to 31,085 in 2009.
Known as Moudawana, the family code introduced in 2004 guaranteed women equal rights to file for divorce, as opposed to the previous law under which only the husband can legally decide to end the marriage.
While high divorce rates are commonly associated with negative effects on society and broken homes, recent studies suggest that facilitating the divorce legal process positively impacts the welfare of household members, the economy, and society at large.
One study in the US found that when family courts shift property rights and provide payments to women after divorce, mothers are more likely to invest more in quality education for their children.
The increased time for women that stems from reduced household responsibilities was also shown to benefit women on a professional level, as they find more time to work, which reflects positively on their income and overall well-being.
Read Also: The Economist: Arab World Has Higher Divorce Rates than the US
