Ahmed Reda Chamy, head of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, called for a ban on child marriage in Morocco; This was announced today, Thursday, in the committee on finance, planning and economic development of the second chamber of parliament during the discussion of the subbudget of the aforementioned Council.
Al-Shami said before members of the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Committee: “I have decided to use the phrase child marriage rather than child marriage; Because the words of children are more informative and deeper.
The head of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council believes that permission for underage marriage was made an exception by the Family Code. But this exception has become the rule, given the large number of applications approved by the judges.
Al-Shami’s stance goes hand in hand with growing demands from a number of associations to abolish underage marriages under the age of eighteen.
A diagnostic study conducted by the Presidium of the Prosecutor’s Office regarding underage marriages shows that their share, compared to the total number of marriage contracts concluded from 2004, the year the Family Code came into force, to 2019, ranges from 11.99 percent as the highest percentage of total marriage fees to 7.53 percent as the lowest percentage; These are shocking numbers, confirming the widespread phenomenon of child marriage.
In the same context, Al-Shami called for the sharing of funds within marriage, pointing out that the Moroccan legislator had left the matter optional; But, according to him, now it should be mandatory.
For her part, Fatima al-Hasani, parliamentary adviser to the National Party of Independents, stressed the need to prevent child marriage and not to refer to the existence of social situations, emphasizing that it is necessary to create a suitable environment for children. to complete studies and education.
In turn, Muhammad bin Faqih, parliamentary adviser to the Social Justice Group, stressed the need to abolish child marriage, pointing out that no one present at this meeting would accept his daughter’s marriage at the age of sixteen.
He added: “We must take into account the opinion of the elite of society, and not follow the opinion of the general public, which can hinder progress and find solutions to the problems posed.”
Khaled El Satti, Parliamentary Counselor of the National Union of Labor in Morocco, believes that the Council for Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs makes very important recommendations and reports; But so as not to be heard by the government.
Al-Satti asked in his speech during the sub-budget discussion of the Council on Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs of the Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development in the second chamber of parliament a direct question to Ahmed Reda Al-Shami, saying: “Does the government listen to you or not?”
In response to this question, the head of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council said: “The government sometimes listens and sometimes not,” pointing out that the council makes many recommendations, some of which are sometimes taken into account and other times not.
On the other hand, Ahmed Reda al-Shami expressed his willingness to develop the relationship of the Council for Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs with the Council of Advisors and to make the experience of the Council available to the second chamber of parliament.
Al-Shami also expressed the desire of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council to develop the Council’s openness to citizens and provide them with the opportunity to participate in the preparation of the Council’s recommendations, indicating that work is currently underway to provide for this in the charter of this constitutional body.
