Study: One-Third of Moroccan Women Married Before Legal Age

The kingdom remains faced with major challenges related to the protection, education and health of the family, despite the efforts made by successive governments and human rights associations.

In its report published on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, the United Nations Development System in Morocco reported alarming figures on the general conditions of the Moroccan minor girl.

For example, the UN agency mentioned early marriages that are still organized in both urban and rural areas, despite the evolution of Moroccan society. In detail, 31.5% of married, divorced or widowed women were victims of early marriage before the age of 18, 41% in rural areas and 26.3% in cities [...] 27.8% among young women under 35 and 26.9% among those aged 35 to 59, the report specified.

In this report, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) states that child marriage entails such heavy costs that its eradication must become a global priority. "The challenges remain present and Morocco’s ambitions are dependent on the realization of the rights of every girl," it is emphasized.

Faced with this situation, the organization has called on the Moroccan authorities to act urgently to reverse the trend. It says it is ready to support the government’s actions, which must be part of an integrated vision and approach and take into account the commitments of the various stakeholders.