In Rabat, April 24 (EFE) - Latifa, a 35-year-old mother of two, embodies the shifting dynamics of family structures in Morocco, where urban nuclear families are increasingly becoming the norm. This transformation is accompanied by a rising number of singles and divorced individuals, marking a significant shift in societal norms and underscoring the urgent need for legal reforms to address these changes.
Historically, Moroccan families were large and predominantly rural, with multiple generations living under one roof and women having limited participation in the workforce. Today, however, this traditional family model accounts for only about 20% of households, while the nuclear family model, which includes parents and one or two children, now represents a striking 73% of all families. These statistics, drawn from the latest National Population Survey, highlight the profound social transformation that Morocco has undergone over the past three decades.
The family structure in Morocco is increasingly mirroring European patterns: marriages are occurring less frequently and at older ages, divorce rates are rising, and there is a noticeable decline in birth rates. This demographic shift is further characterized by an aging population and rural-to-urban migration. Analysts suggest that these trends reflect a pressing need to tackle a longstanding issue: the second reform of the Family Code, known as the Moudawana.
Women are at the forefront of this societal revolution. Their access to higher education and participation in the labor market have fundamentally altered key decisions regarding marriage, family size, and domestic organization. The average age for first marriages now stands at 27 for women and 33 for men, a stark contrast to the norms of previous generations. This delay in marriage has directly contributed to a drop in the birthrate, which now averages 1.9 children per family, alongside a rise in childless couples, which constitute 10% of all partnerships.
Despite the gradual integration of women into the workforce, gender equality remains an elusive goal. The overall female labor participation rate hovers around 27%, though it is higher in urban areas and sectors such as services, education, and health. On average, women earn 30% less than their male counterparts for similar work, and their unemployment rate is double that of men. Sociologist Soumaya Naamane Guessous notes that while Moroccan women have entered modernity, the surrounding environment and basic infrastructure have not kept pace with these changes.
The report further reveals that more than 51% of single adults do not wish to marry, with notable gender differences: 53.6% of women still value marriage compared to only 31.5% of men. Marriages between relatives have decreased by 10 percentage points but still account for 21% of unions, and social homogamy persists, with 83% of women marrying partners of the same social background and 62% marrying individuals from the same geographical area. Although marriage in Morocco has become a personal choice rather than a familial alliance, family mediation still plays a role in 58% of cases, particularly in rural regions.
Demography expert Rachid Tahtou describes Morocco's family structure as a "hybrid model" where traditional and modern family frameworks coexist, a result of rising purchasing power, increased educational levels, and individual aspirations that favor smaller families and greater autonomy for both men and women. He emphasizes that this is not merely a trend toward "Europeanization" but rather a "transitional demographic model" reflective of the evolution within developing societies.
Significantly, these changes have been facilitated largely by a partial reform of the Moudawana, Morocco's Family Code established in the mid-20th century. A reform in 2004 raised the minimum marriage age to 18, although Sharia law allows for marriages of minors under certain judicial conditions. This reform also improved women's divorce and custody rights and introduced greater judicial oversight in family matters. However, feminist movements argue that these reforms fall short, calling for the prohibition of forced marriages and polygamy, equalizing rights, and abolishing laws that penalize cohabitation without marriage or require family certificates solely from Moroccan couples.
If their demands gain traction, Morocco may soon witness the end of the traditional "Couples Only" notice displayed by many hotels across the country. As reported by swissinfo.ch.
