Morocco Expands Mandatory Military Service to Include Women, Sets Age Range at 19-25

This draft law (44.18) was developed "in accordance with the constitutional principles with a view to a correlation between the rights and duties of citizenship, based on best international practices and national legislation".

The text sets the call-up age at 19 years, while military service is due until the age of 25, for both men and women. Persons over the age of 25 "who have benefited from one of the exemptions provided for by law can still be called up if the reason for their exemption is no longer current, and this up to the age of 40".

For the legislator, military service will help strengthen social cohesion, open up the way for conscripts to integrate into professional and social life by allowing them to benefit from military training and instill in them the military culture based on discipline, commitment, responsibility and respect for institutions.