Morocco Considers Family Code Reforms to Boost Marriages, Curb Divorces

The association leader invited the authorities to investigate the causes of reluctance to marriage, to train future spouses and to put in place financial and tax incentives for the first years of the first marriage. Rabbah also called for the establishment of measures to reduce cases of divorce, to better regulate amicable divorce to avoid abuse, and to guarantee the rights of each party after divorce, including alimony, child custody and their protection against any form of violence or exploitation in the event of remarriage of one of the parents.

The former leader of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) also stressed the need for the government and the Supreme Council of Ulema to inform public opinion about the ins and outs of the reform of the Family Code in order to dispel misunderstandings. Rabbah did not fail to urge the authorities to take into account the constructive proposals and contributions for a more egalitarian Family Code that respects the rights of women and children.

In this dynamic, his association organized an online colloquium dedicated to the Family Code. The objective was to discuss the concerns raised in the conclusions of the commission responsible for the reform of the Moudawana. Moroccan and foreign specialists, particularly from France, Poland, Spain, the United States, Canada, Belgium, Qatar, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the United Kingdom, actively participated in these proceedings, during which a call was made to promote marriage, strengthen family values and combat family disintegration.

At the end of the discussions, the association recommended the protection of minors against marginalization, exploitation and deviance, the care by the State of orphans and children from poor families, as well as their educational and religious support. It also proposed the creation of centers and psychological support programs for children of divorcees, widows and children born out of wedlock, and called on public opinion not to jump to conclusions before the adoption of the new Moudawana.