House of representatives unanimously adopts new family code
Morocco, Politics, 1/19/2004

The House of Representatives (Parliament's lower chamber) unanimously approved on Friday the draft Family Code during a plenary session in the presence of premier Driss Jettou and other government members.

The draft code, spelled out last October by King Mohammed VI, was adopted in the version amended by the House's justice, legislation and human rights committee.

The new family code consist mainly of raising the marriage age for women from 15 to 18, placing the family under the joint responsibility of the two spouses and imposing stringent conditions that make polygamy almost impossible.

President of the Justice and Development parliamentary group (PJD), Abdallah Baha, pointed out that the royal speech was a reference that guided discussions on the draft Code during the committee proceedings, noting that the amendments that his group brought to the family code mainly concerned terminology.

The draft family code unanimously adopted on Friday by the House of Representatives is one of Morocco's big challenges, said Friday the Minister of Justice.

Mohammed Bouzoubaa who was speaking before the vote took place, described the draft Code as a "crucial stage in the evolution Morocco is going through at the constitutional, democratic, social and human rights level."

The new family code which still has to go to the House of Advisors (Senate), puts wives on a more equal footing with their husbands, raises the marriage age for girls from 15 to 18, and provides wives with a "joint responsibility" with their husbands in family matters.

Under this new law, polygamy will be permitted only under highly restrictive conditions and the new code also makes it more difficult for men to divorce their wives without their consent.

A parliamentary commission debated the new code for one month, studying 110 amendments before submitting it to the House's vote.

Several MPs described as "historic" and "revolutionary" the unanimous vote on this Code which "will play a major role in the construction of the Rule of Law."

Previous Stories:
  Democracy, rule of law, pillars of Morocco's policy, minister   (1/14/2004)
  Morocco's social reforms aim at more significant participation of women in active life, speaker   (1/13/2004)
  Justice and legislation committee's talks on family code draft very positive, minister   (12/25/2003)

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