Earthquake Aftermath: Concerns Rise Over Child Marriage and Trafficking in Morocco

Fearing an increase in trafficking and child marriages after the earthquake, the displaced women are on the lookout. "We are afraid that an intruder will come and kidnap our children. When someone goes out, their neighbor watches over their family," says Fatima, a mother of three children, installed in a camp in the center of Amimiz.

According to her, orphans are the most exposed. "There are people who came after the earthquake to take children who have lost their parents. They offer to take care of them, to educate them. But most of the time it’s to exploit them," explains Badi, president of an association for the protection of the rights of children and women in the region.

The underage girls are also concerned. "People came with aid and said to the parents: ’we have money and we want to take your daughter with us’. And they ask if she knows how to cook," says Sama, 16 years old. For Badi, the phenomenon could grow in the coming months "when humanitarian aid stops".

"The situation will be very difficult. People won’t have a roof or food. And that’s when families might be tempted to marry their underage daughter," the activist points out. In the High Atlas region, child marriage affects 83% of girls, according to the Ytto Foundation.