Family Code Revising Body's Propositions Aim to Ensure Code's 'Spirit of Reform', Moroccan Family Stability – Justice Minister

The desired objectives of these propositions are to guarantee the continuity of the Family Code’s reforming spirit and to achieve the goals envisioned by the Sovereign, notably the stability of the Moroccan family, the promotion of women’s rights, the preservation of human dignity and the protection of children’s interests, while ensuring, in accordance with the will of His Majesty the King, that changes in Moroccan society are reconciled with respect for the Kingdom’s religious constants and its commitments under the international conventions it has ratified, Ouahbi stated in an address before HM the King during a working session chaired by the Sovereign on Monday at the Royal Palace in Casablanca, and devoted to the subject of revising the Family Code.

The Minister, in his capacity as a member of the Body in charge of revising the Family Code, said that the propositions resulting from the wide-ranging talks concern the various issues covered by the Family Code, and are aimed at correcting certain legal and judicial dysfunctions that have been reported, transcending the cumbersome and time-consuming nature of judicial procedures and ensure greater intervention by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. They also deal with certain social phenomena linked to the issues of under-age marriage, polygamy, child custody, maintenance (Nafaqa), legal guardianship, the matrimonial household, as well as problems resulting from the breakdown of the marital relationship that threaten the best interests of children.

In this respect, Ouahbi stressed that the Body in charge of revising the Family Code had accomplished its mission within the allotted timeframe, bearing in mind the content of the Letter addressed by His Majesty the King to the Head of Government, which defined the principles and objectives of the reform, as well as its priority areas, according to the approach His Majesty had ordered to be adopted, an approach based on the virtues of dialogue, participation and listening to various institutional, political, trade union and civil players, as well as to Ulema and academics.