Morocco: legal age of marriage rises to 18

The Moroccan Family Code is about to undergo substantial changes. This was revealed by Ahmed Toufiq, Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, on Tuesday during an information point at the Academy of the Kingdom in Rabat. The legal age of marriage and the conditions of polygamy are at the heart of these announced changes.

These reforms are the result of a consultation process led by the Body responsible for revising the Code. Monday, at the Royal Palace in Casablanca, King Mohammed VI chaired a working session devoted to this issue. The Authority presented to the Sovereign a comprehensive report, the fruit of its work, including more than 100 proposed amendments. The most notable sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 years. An exception will allow marriage at age 17, subject to strict conditions being met. This provision will thus put an end to the marriages of young girls aged 15 or 16, a practice which aroused strong criticism.