Rabat – The Moroccan government has announced a new plan to support young people who hesitate to marry.
The Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family, Naima Ben Yahya, announced the initiative during a meeting of the Committee on Social Sectors in the House of Representatives, in which the effects of the latest national census were discussed on Moroccan families.
Ben Yahya said that Morocco is exposed to a serious demographic change, which she described as a “reversal”, which threatens the family structure and society. She noticed the need for an urgent state intervention to tackle the problem.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Solidarity is preparing a new program to support people who plan to marry. This comes in response to important socio -demographic changes, including a growing older population and a shrinking youth population, she said.
“The family structure is at risk,” she said, adding that there is no clear national policy to support families.
“We cannot feel comfortable while we experience the family’s decline,” she said, explaining that the family in Moroccan society is not only a place for child rearing, but is also a basis for social stability. She mentioned values such as respect for parents and shared responsibility between spouses.
As part of the wider efforts of the government, Ben Yahya also announced plans to reduce the number of social care institutions, especially in accommodation for abused women and the elderly, a statement that was worried.
She claimed the correlation that the high number of these institutions in the past in coping with family -related problems such as divorce and domestic violence.
The minister referred to the results of the national population and housing count carried out in September 2024. The data show that the average Moroccan budget size of 4.6 people in 2014 dropped to 3.9 people in 2024. This decline was observed in both urban and rural areas.
Based on these findings, the Ministry is working on a national family policy, starting with a field study in five regions. The aim is to create a strategy that meets the needs of the citizens and strengthens the family unit.
Ben Yahya also warned of the economic consequences of demographic change. Due to smaller household sizes and a growing number of older people who need care, the families are exposed to increased financial pressure.
She added that the birth rates are sinking and younger generations are not replaced, which could lead to a decline in the population in work. At the same time, extended family members contribute less financially, which increases the costs for education, health care and living space for nuclebs families.
The minister also found the high unemployment rate, especially among young people and women and said that economic uncertainty is a key factor for the delay Wedding and form new families.
