Morocco moves to reform laws on underage marriage, polygamy and child custody
Morocco is aiming to grant women more rights over child custody and inheritance, as well as the power of veto over polygamous marriage, in the first review of its Islamic-based family code in 20 years.
Reforms were proposed on Tuesday to Morocco's family law, as announced by the country's justice and Islamic affairs ministers.
Women's rights campaigners have long been pushing for a revision of regulations governing the rights of women and children within the family in Morocco, where Islam is the state religion.
The reforms will address issues including limits on underage marriage and women's inheritance rights, which activists have said are not guaranteed under the current code, introduced in 2004.
It comes after two years of consultations with civil society, as well as judicial and religious parties, and will require parliamentary and royal approval.
Reform of divorce and child custody
The draft code proposes more than 100 amendments, including one which allows women to stipulate opposition to polygamy in a marriage contract, justice minister Abdellatif Ouahbi told reporters.
Global outrage grows over Franco-Algerian writer's detention in Algeria
Read more on RFI English
Read also:
France, Morocco sign deals worth €10bn on energy, infrastructure
France's ever tighter ties with Morocco leads Algeria to seek other allies
Morocco's King Mohamed VI pardons imprisoned journalists and activists
