Morocco’s Child Marriage Debate: New Guidelines Spark Controversy

The Prosecutor’s Office note recalls a number of rules that must be observed before any authorization. Thus, according to L’économiste, the Head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office asks the magistrates not to hesitate to veto, to initiate an investigation into the reasons behind the marriage.

It is also, according to the note, to determine if the minor is "sufficiently mature" and "physically fit" for marriage. Magistrates are also invited to raise the girl’s awareness of the risks of early marriage by calling on social services.

For Moroccans residing abroad (MRE), it must be ensured that the marriage authorization is recognized in the host countries. But, according to the newspaper, many child marriages are contracted after reading the fatiha and do not go through the judicial procedure.

Human rights organizations will still have to wait when it comes to abolishing child marriage.