Poverty Surge in Morocco Fuels Rise in Begging, Report Finds

In this note entitled "Evolution of social inequalities in a context marked by the effects of covid-19 and rising prices", the HCP revealed that nearly 3.2 million additional people have fallen into poverty (1.15 million) or vulnerability (2.05 million) in 2022, favoring the practice of begging in Morocco, an "illegal profession" that can generate up to 27 billion dirhams per year, according to estimates by Nouzha Skalli, former Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity.

A campaign has recently been launched on social networks against begging, a phenomenon that is growing in the kingdom. The initiators call on citizens to do charity towards those who are really in need rather than towards those who practice begging, considered a crime according to the Penal Code and punishable by imprisonment from one month to six months. "Begging is a worrying phenomenon and is, like an epidemic, contagious," declares Mohamed El Nouhaili, a civil and human rights activist, to Hespress.

The activist believes that begging contributes to "illegal enrichment" and calls on the authorities to "enforce the law, and not tolerate these people" who give a "bad image" of the kingdom. According to him, "some of them earn more than 500 dirhams per day, which is an amount that even employees do not receive." These beggars use "a set of forms of fraud," pretending to have a disability or asking to buy a specific medicine, or presenting themselves as widows, which "calls into question the social protection system," notes the activist.

El Nouhaili did not fail to denounce "the exploitation of children and human trafficking" in begging, a scourge that according to him "develops misery, fragility and diminishes the value of work." In 2021, 28,597 cases were recorded and 32,669 people including 2,975 foreigners were arrested for begging, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. In 2022 (January 1 to August 15), a total of 2,425 cases were recorded and 28,769 people including 2,408 foreigners were arrested. To fight against this phenomenon, surveillance cameras are installed in the streets.