Study finds considerable low fecundity in Maghreb

Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria have known a considerable decrease in the fecundity rate, as the number of children for each woman went down from 7 in early 1960's to three in 1996, according to a study on population and development.

The study's author, Aziz Jbilou, told Moroccan radio station Medi 1, based in Tangiers, the low fecundity rate in the region is the result of urbanization, women's access to education and employment.

In Tunisia, fecundity started to decrease at the beginning of the 60's when the newly-independent country enforced measures to emancipate women, by increasing their access to education and banning polygamy.

It was only ten years later that Morocco's fecundity rate started to decrease as authorities deemed that only development could cut fecundity.

In Algeria, family planning was enforced in early 80's.

The marriage age also increased in the three states, which had the lowest marriage rates in the 60's. Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian women who used to get married at 17 or 18 are now waiting until they are 20 years while men get married at 30.

The average marriage age stands at 27 for women living in cities and 24 for rural women, while men are usually above 30 when they get married.