Moroccan Youth Increasingly Reluctant to Marry Amid Economic Pressures

In the eyes of economist Mohamed Jedari, the draft reform of the Family Code contains many positive points that will help improve the situation of Moroccan women. In a statement to the Al3omk website, he assured that the Code will not lead to an increased disinterest of young people in marriage. Marriage remains a sacred institution and a norm of life, he said. According to him, 8 to 9 out of 10 young Moroccans will continue to engage in this institution in the years to come. The economist acknowledges, however, that the high cost of living has had a significant impact on Moroccan families and could contribute to an increase in the disinterest for marriage.

According to him, the high costs of living have led to a decrease in marriages and, consequently, a drop in births. Families, especially in large cities, prefer to have fewer children, while rural families generally do not have more than three children, he specified, stressing the need for the government to solve this crisis by providing adequate support in the areas of housing, education and health, in addition to promoting employment opportunities.

Jedari also called for the implementation of policies encouraging procreation, in particular through the granting of marriage bonuses and financial support to families wishing to start a household. These measures would be a key solution to address the premature aging that the country will experience by 2050, he argued. The economist is convinced that if the conditions related to education, health, housing and employment opportunities improve, this will encourage young people to consider marriage and have children. If the State does not take these measures, it will be forced to face problems related to population aging, a pension crisis, and the need for Morocco to import labor to fill the deficit caused by the low birth rate.