Morocco Introduces Mandatory Pre-Marital Training for Couples Seeking Marriage

The future spouses will have to undergo pre-marital training that will be provided by the adouls and obtain a certificate of aptitude for married life, reports the weekly La Vie éco. This is a necessary step to be taken before concluding the marriage deed. It is a project funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) which has signed a convention with the National Order of Adouls. It is modeled on the Canadian model.

The pilot phase of the project is a training (strategic communication) focused on raising awareness among future spouses, young people and their families, about duties and rights. In Oujda, some young people have already received this training. According to a member of the National Order of Adouls, there is no question of carrying out this process before the marriage. For now, it is therefore not mandatory. In addition, it is planned to organize training for 340 adouls in six regions who will in turn train the future spouses.

This project is already facing criticism. "The principle of wanting to raise awareness among young people about duties and rights is in itself commendable, especially since sex education is a taboo in Moroccan society," says the specialist, however estimating that entrusting this mission to adouls "is not wise insofar as the latter envisage their roles on a conservative register that falls within a restrictive interpretation of religion." According to him, this mission should be entrusted to the school.