Male Babysitters Spark Controversy in Morocco’s Growing Childcare Industry

Profiles of babysitters, with their names, photos, age, hourly rates, and past experiences, are flooding online platforms and social media. They set hourly rates ranging from 100 to 400 dirhams or even more. It’s not just women offering this service. Men are also behind these profiles. They are increasingly offering babysitting services, which many Moroccan internet users view negatively. They question the legality, child safety, and the evolution of gender roles. These services offered by men indeed challenge deeply rooted norms about gender and care work in Moroccan society.

The lack of regulation and control mechanisms raises serious questions about child protection and the legitimacy of these services. While some welcome this change - men offering babysitting services - considering it a sign of evolving mentalities regarding gender and work, others are cautious. They invoke concerns about safety and propriety, especially when it comes to entrusting young children to male babysitters.

It remains to be seen whether Morocco is ready for an app-based babysitting economy.