Morocco has unveiled proposed amendments to its family law, addressing critical issues like underage marriage, women’s inheritance rights, and parental custody. Justice Minister Abdelatif Ouahbi announced the reforms on Tuesday, describing them as an update to the 2004 “Mudawana” legislation, which was initially hailed as progressive but is now considered inadequate by women’s rights advocates.
Under the new proposals, the legal marriage age remains 18, but the minimum age for exemptions will increase from 15 to 17. Custody rights, which were previously granted automatically to fathers, will now be shared equally by both parents, even after separation. Divorced mothers will no longer risk losing custody of their children if they remarry. Inheritance laws, which currently favor male heirs by granting them twice the share given to women, will allow unrestricted donations to female heirs, including minors. Polygamy, while still legal, will be subjected to stricter rules, requiring a wife’s consent before her husband can marry another.
The proposed reforms follow two years of consultations with civil society groups, judicial experts, and religious authorities. While they address several concerns, activists argue they fall short of full equality in inheritance and fail to impose a total ban on child marriage.
The timeline for implementing the amendments remains uncertain, as the legislation requires parliamentary approval and the endorsement of King Mohammed VI, who has the final authority over any disputes. Ordered by the monarch in 2022, the reforms reflect an attempt to balance modern legal standards with Morocco’s cultural and religious framework.
